CCTCC: Mid-Season Update: Entering the Second Half at Grand Prix of Mosport

Going into the second half of the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship presented by Continental Tire (CTCC) 2011 season, the battle for the lead of the Championship gets interesting. Eight Rounds of fifteen overall have been completed.

The leader of the Championship in Super Class is King City driver Richard Boake with 896 points. Out of eight Rounds, Boake has won six of them. Sure enough, he missed his chances for a clean-sweep in Rounds three and four at Circuit ICAR at the beginning of June. Boake has the lead in the Super Class standings with one hundred points over Quebec driver Etienne Borgeat in second, but it's not a comfortable situation yet!

During Grand Prix of Mosport weekend, watch for Dean Fantin of Amherstburg in his white BMW 330I with Amico Racing. Fantin is in third position in the Super Class standings with 736 points. Also Sasha Anis, a very competitive driver, in fourth with his Hyundai Genesis Coupe. On the other hand, Ashton driver Arek Wojciechowski has earned five podium positions since the beginning of the season in his yellow BMW 328i. Wojciechowski experienced mechanical difficulties during Rounds seven and eight and is now at sixth place in Super Class standings with 553 points.

Leading in Touring Class is Markam driver Tom Kwok with 891 points. Kwok, in his Honda Civic Si, has made every podium since the beginning of the season.

No matter what, Kwok went home with a trophy in first, second or third positions and that's the way he likes it.

In Touring Class, the competition is much closer and the order could change very quickly if one of the top drivers has the smallest problem.

Seventy-eight points are separating Tom Kwok (1st/891 pts) from his brother Gary (4th/813 pts), teammates in M&S Racing and driving Honda Civics.

Between them, small but very powerful, are the MINIs driven by Octane Motorsport teammates Michel Sallenbach (2nd/869 pts) and Alain Lauzière (3rd /853 pts).

The two Class points leaders are dedicated to winning and their passion is driving them there. But, anything can happen and the CTCC season is not over yet. Several competitors have encountered all kinds of difficulties and misfortunes during the past Rounds and they are now ready to compete for the front.

At Grand Prix of Mosport on July 22nd to 24th, Rounds nine and ten will be battled and we are expecting these to be challenging and competitive.

Don't miss it, it's a must see!

Fans can keep track of live CTCC competition with their smartphone or computer by connecting to www.livetiming.net/ctcc. CTCC live timing is available whenever and wherever the racecars are on the track

For more details about CTCC and to capture the best moments via our event Webisodes, visit www.touringcar.ca.You can also follow CTCC on Facebook and Twitter.

About CTCC: The Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship presented by Continental Tire is Canada's only professional road racing series. Now in its fifth year, CTCC showcases race cars based on their stock street version. In 2011, CTCC will be featured at Circuit ICAR, Mosport International Raceway, Honda Indy Toronto, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières.

Experience the rush of touring car racing!

From Dominique Longval // Director of Marketing

Win Tickets to the July 27 World of Outlaws show at Ohsweken Speedway!

"LIKE" the new Inside Track Motorsport News Facebook 'Fan Page' by Friday, July 15 to be eligible to WIN 2 Adult Reserved Seats to the July 27 World of Outlaws show at Ohsweken Speedway.

This coming Friday (July 15), a post will go up sometime during the day on the ITMN Fan Page. The first member to respond to that post will win the tickets **. To be eligible to win, you need to "LIKE" (and be a member of) the new Inside Track Facebook Fan Page.

At Facebook's urging, we're phasing out the existing ITMN 'Group' and encouraging people to switch over the new 'Fan Page.' It features all the same news and information, plus the chance to win regular prizes. It's free to join! Thank you and good luck!!

** The prize if for tickets only, and doesn't include travel or lodging. ITMN Fan Page Members who can't use the tickets are eligible for the contest, but will be given a comparable prize.

MOSPORT: Canadian Ken Wilden rejoins Jaguar RSR for ALMS event at Mosport

BOWMANVILLE, ON - Canadian Ken Wilden has signed with JaguarRSR to drive the #98 Jaguar XKR in Sunday's American Le Mans Series race at Mosport, part of the Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport, July 21-24.

Wilden, who's the 2009 GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge season champion, will be joined by P.J. Jones for the two hour-45 minute race.

"It's great to be back with the whole team at JaguarRSR, the Oakville native said.

 "The American Le Mans Series is a great showcase for all the various manufacturers and world class drivers.  Being able to compete at my home track in the Jaguar will definitely be the highlight of my year."

Choosing a driver of Wilden's talent especially with the past success he has enjoyed at Mosport's historic 3.96 km track was a no-brainer for Paul Gentilozzi, JaguarRSR Principal Partner.

"Having Kenny return behind the wheel of the #98 XKR with JaguarRSR for the Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport is an honour for the whole team and a great strategic move," he said.  "He has proven that he is one of the fastest guys at Mosport and will bring a lot to our team effort there and later in the season."

The last time Wilden ran in a professional race at Mosport, was in the SCCA Pro Racing Trans-Am Series in 2010 at the Victoria Day SpeedFest Weekend.  During that memorable weekend, he set both the qualifying and race fast laps track records on his way to the dominating victory.

Wilden has been recognized as one of the country's most accomplished road racers since claiming the Player's/GM and Firehawk Series crowns in 1992.  Along with American Le Mans, his racing resume includes Formula Atlantic, Daytona Prototypes, Trans-Am and Grand Am Continental Challenge.

The Weekend gets underway on Thursday (July 21) with a full-day of testing for all series' except the American Le Mans Series.  Friday (July 22) will see practice sessions for all supporting series' and the American Le Mans Series will hold their testing.  Saturday's (July 23) schedule starts with both practice and qualifying, followed by races for F2000, IMSA GT3 Cup, Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada, Cooper Tires Lites and the Castrol Touring Car Championship.  Sunday (July 24) morning opens with more qualifying and then races in Star Mazda, Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada, Cooper Prototype Lites, Castrol Touring, IMSA GT3 Cup and the two-hour, 45 minute feature American Le Mans Series race to close out the weekend.

A four-day SuperTicket is just $70 until July 20 ($80 at the Gate).  Single day tickets are also available.

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

From Ryan Chalmers, Mosport

OHSWEKEN SPEEDWAY: Norfolk County night this Friday

Ohsweken Speedway is ready for another action-packed edition of Friday Night Thunder this week for “Norfolk County Night” presented by Best Western Cairn Croft Hotel. All fans with proof of residence in Norfolk County will be given 2 for 1 admission this Friday! Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Cars, Lighthouse Tattoos Thunder Stocks, HRW Automotive Mini Stocks, and Pierced Parts Bombers are all on the card, plus Vintage Cars, and Small Car Figure 8 racing.

CORR/PAK MERCHANDISING SPRINT CARS: Jim Huppunen broke through for his first career feature win last Friday, and took over the Sprint Car division points lead in the process. The Fenwick resident now holds a 19 point lead over "The Tilbury Tornado"

Kyle Patrick heading into this week's race. Burford's Jamie Collard ran well last Friday and scored a runner-up finish, moving him to third in the standings, followed by Lewiston, NY driver Derek Jonathan, and Dain Naida of Tecumseh, MI.

LIGHTHOUSE TATTOOS THUNDER STOCKS: Ridgeway resident Larry Czinege, Jr. scored his second consecutive Thunder Stock feature win last Friday, but he won't be competing this week due to an injury suffered on Saturday night at Merrittville.

Everyone at Ohsweken wishes Larry the best in his recovery. Caledonia driver Mike Thorne finished in the runner-up spot for the second week in a row last Friday, and sits just 5 points behind Czinege in the standings. Ryan Dinning of Caledonia, Port Robinson's Devin Habiuk, and Brantford driver Brad Herron are also in the top 5.

HRW AUTOMOTIVE MINI STOCKS: Dundas driver Karl Sault scored his third feature win of the season last Friday, but Brantford's Jake Brown finished right behind him to minimize the damage in the points chase. Sault now holds a 10 point lead over Brown, while Caledonia's Mike Evers is another 5 markers behind. Cayuga driver Abel Castelein is fourth in the standings, followed by Ohsweken's Steve Hess.

PIERCED PARTS BOMBERS: Waterdown's Rodney Rutherford went to the Engine Pro Racing Winner's Circle on Mid-Season Championship night, and increased his points lead in the Bomber division. He now holds a 5 point advantage over Rockton driver Dave Patton, while Trevor Roszell of Waterdown, and Hamilton drivers Jeremy May and Max Chechalk round out the top 5.

From Tommy Goudge / Ohsweken Speedway

DRAGS: Northern Force Racing to Compete at Nitro Jam Nationals This Weekend

Jory Elliott, son of Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame member Bob Elliott, will pilot the Gold’s Gym sponsored entry

Wingham, ON – Second generation drag racer Jory Elliott will drive the Northern Force Racing, Gold’s Gym sponsored, Super Stock A Modified in competition this weekend during the MOPAR Nitro Jam Nationals, July 16 & 17 at Grand Bend Motorplex in Grand Bend, Ontario.

The event will mark the first national event appearance for the young driver who got behind the wheel for the first time just a little over a year ago. “I couldn’t be more excited to try and bring home the Ironman trophy this weekend.”; said Elliott. “To win this thing for my family and our new sponsor Gold’s, and at our home track to boot, well that would just be something really special!”

Joining the team as its major sponsor for the event is Gold’s Gym. “We’re excited to have Gold’s come on board for this event and are really looking forward to all of the promotional things we have planned with them.”; stated Team Owner Bob Elliott. The newly formed partnership will allow members of the fitness club to get up close and personal with driver and race car at the Gold’s Gym location in London, Ontario, as well as enjoy a private hospitality area at the race track. Fitness Consultants will also be on hand at the Northern Force Racing pit area throughout the race weekend to answer questions for interested parties, as well as offer promotional prizing to spectators.

For more information about Gold’s Gym visit www.goldsgymlondon.com.

For tickets or more information about the MOPAR Nitro Jam Nationals visit www.grandbendmotorplex.com.

About Northern Force Racing: Northern Force Racing is a motorsports team steeped in history which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2010 with the introduction of the teams brand new 2005 Pontiac Sunfire, Super Stock A Modified.

 Having driven in several classes throughout his career, Team Owner Bob Elliott is best known for his prowess behind the wheel of Top Alcohol, Jet Turbine powered and Nitro Methane burning Funny Cars throughout the 80’s and early 90’s. For his accomplishments Elliott was inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in April of 2011.

In 2011, with second generation driver Jory Elliott at the controls of the race car, the team will compete at both NHRA and IHRA sanctioned events.

From NFR

RACE TIME RADIO: Tonight - July 12

Tonight on RACE TIME RADIO Presented by Shell ROTELLA
Broadcast Tuesday Nights On theScore... SIRIUS ... Home of the Hardcore
Race Fan
Visit www.racetimeradio.com for racing news and listening info.

SPEEDWAY 660: Best of the Best Pro Stock 150 Preview

Fredericton N.B. – As Speedway 660 continues to look towards SPEEDWEEKEND and the Auto Value 250, the winner of this weekend’s Best of the Best Pro Stock 150 will not only receive a trophy and a cheque, but also a provisional starting spot in the “250.”

Some of the top regional Pro Stock teams are expected to make their way to Geary alongside Speedway 660 regulars hoping to make their Labour Day weekend less stressful by not having to worry about qualifying.

Prior to the Best of the Best Pro Stock 150 the Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman 100 that was rained out on June 25 will run. Some of the best sportsman cars in Atlantic Canada will travel to Speedway 660 looking for the added purse by Richard and Anne Martin of $1000 to first and extra $500 to second and third place finishers. In additional RJ Maillet and Sons Construction has posted an extra $750 bonus, $250 for the driver who can lead each of laps 25, 50 and 75.

Speedway regular, Dave O’Blenis is hoping to sweep both events. Known for his success as a Pro Stock driver, O’Blenis purchased a Sportsman car over the offseason would like to find the podium in both main events this weekend.

Speedway 660 will also be running regular points racing in the RV World Street Stock, 4 Cylinder, and Hanwell Village Mart Bandolero divisions.

Benji Ruff currently holds a six-point lead over 2010 Street Stock Champion, Rick Cashol in the RV World Street Stock division, while Luc McLaughlin currently leads the 4 Cylinder points, four ahead of Robert Flowers.

In the Hanwell Village Mart Bandolero division Alicia Mowat has a one-point lead over inaugural and 2010 division champion, Ryan Messer. Dana Hamm-Cameron is not far off the pace, just three back of Mowat for the points lead after all three drivers have been on the podium in the first two features.

Another great event is in waiting to happen so come on out to the Geary Woods this weekend and check out Speedway 660 for some WicKID Family Fun! For more information logon onto www.speedway660.com

From Angela Coffey // Speedway 660

 

C360R LAGUNA SECA RACE REPORT: EVERSLEY AND PAGENAUD FINISH SIXTH

(Monterey, CA) -- Ryan Eversley and co-driver Simon Pagenaud knew they faced an uphill battle at Laguna Seca, despite the recent removal of a series-mandated inlet restrictor. "Laguna's a track that favours the rear-wheel-drive cars, and even with the restrictor gone, the Honda is still far from the fastest front-wheel-drive platform as the results show," explained Eversley.

The duo's task was made doubly hard when qualifying was stopped on the first lap when one of the Mini's lodged itself in one of the many gravel traps around the circuit, meaning that those cars in front of the stricken car were able to set a time and those behind were not. With Pagenaud having been sent out at the back of the pack for a clear-air run, it meant his #75 Skunk2/Honda Performance Development/Racing4Research Civic started very nearly at the back of the pack in 26th spot.

His team-mates, however, fared much better, with the #74 Skunk2/HPD/JC Concrete Honda of David Thilenius qualifying in eighth spot; the #76 Skunk2/HPD/Racer's Drive Civic piloted by Dan Rogers slotted in 11th.

As expected, Pagenaud began to make his way through the field at the drop of the green flag. Technical Director Ray Lee elected to use different strategies for all of the cars, and called the 75 car in for a driver change during one of the early yellow flag periods while the other two cars stayed out. This cycled Eversley to the back of the field, but he too made his way through the traffic. The 74 meanwhile, was running in the top five at the hands of Thilenius and 76 was holding position in the mid-pack with Rogers at the wheel.

With all of the pit stops completed it was 75 in sixth and 74 in formation right behind in seventh with Zach Lutz now at the helm. The 77 Honda was in 15th position, and Michael Browning was making up spots.. In the end, Eversley had nothing for the cars ahead, and finished sixth, scoring valuable points to keep himself and the team second in the championship. "The first-place Kia now has an 18-point championship lead, which means they need to have a bad race at New Jersey or Mid-Ohio if we've any hope of winning a third title," noted Team Principal Karl Thomson. "The battle for second is pretty tight, though, so as always we'll bring the best package we can to the next two races and see how it goes. We're thankful that Grand-Am's finally removed our restrictor, but I think by having two top-level drivers like Ryan and Simon only able to manage a sixth-place shows that the series still needs to do some performance balancing within the Street Tuner class."

Lutz battled cleanly with a competitor throughout the closing stages and was surprised by being bumped off track on the last lap. The resulting impact with the tire wall meant the car suffered substantial damage and was relegated to a 15th-place result. "It was great to run right behind Ryan,  but I'm really disappointed with today's race." noted Lutz. "The BMW and I had such a great fight and it was a shame to have it ruined on the last lap." 

Michael Browning meanwhile brought his 76 Civic across the line in 11th, a very creditable result in his first race with the team. "Thanks to Karl and Steve (Scala) and the whole crew for a great weekend," exclaimed Browning. "I had a blast, and the team gave Dan and I really great support. I would've like to finish in the top ten, but a fender short is not too bad!"

The team's #77 Skunk2/HPD/Dr. Kimberly Henry/Speed Secrets car didn't take part in the Laguna event, as team driver Andrew Novich was recovering from injuries sustained at the previous race at Road America. "I'm on the mend and getting back into my work-out routine," said Novich. "I'm looking forward to being back in the car at New Jersey in a few weeks, and had fun working on the crew in the pits this weekend."

As with every race this year, the team proudly supported the Children's Tumor Foundation and their Racing4Research fundraising initiative at Laguna. The team's cars displayed their CTF livery, and welcomed a large number of children suffering from Neurofibromatosis and their families to the track, as well as being in attendance for a gala dinner for fundraisers and donors in Monterey. For details and to donate visit http://racing4research.org.

The race will be televised, tape-delayed on SPEED July 17th at 1:00pm.

Wednesday Night Racing For Mathews

July 11, 2011 - Steven Mathews, a familiar competitor to Delaware Speedway, will be back in action this Wednesday behind the wheel of a late model stock car. Steve competed at Delaware Speedway as a regular in the late model division in 2009, securing wins and many strong runs.  “I hope to go out and have a good result, I always enjoy racing on the aggressive half mile and certainly can’t wait to get out on the track in front of some of the best race fans in Canada,” stated the twenty year old NewLiskeard, Ontario resident.

Steve will be driving a car prepared by Ron Ouellette and crew, and it will have the familiar number fifteen on the roof and doors. “This deal came together rather last minute, but I am excited and appreciate the opportunity to race against the likes of Kyle and Kurt Busch, and I am confident we will be able to compete for the win.”

After a strong 4th place result at Delaware Speedway earlier this year in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, Mathews is anxious to get back on track at Delaware. “The late model cars are a quite different car, practice time is very limited, and the competition should be tough, so we hope to unload well and fine tune from there to contend at the front of the pack.”

July 13th should be an exciting night at Delaware Speedway featuring Kyle and Kurt Busch, alongside Canada’s best late model talents.  With such a great venue, and great racers, we hope to see all you great fans at the track.

Schedule of events: http://www.delawarespeedway.com/busch-brothers-invade-delaware-speedway

For more information or marketing opportunities visit www.stevemathews.ca

Stay up to date and interactive with Mathews Motorsports:

www.stevemathews.ca

Facebook: “like” Mathews Motorsports

Twitter: @15Mathews

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Andrew Ranger added to the Go Canada Racing Team roster

Andrew Ranger to Drive the #67 Go Canada Racing Ford, in the NASCAR Nationwide, New England 200  at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this coming weekend.

“We are very excited about having Andrew in the car this weekend,” says Steve Meehan owner of Go Canada Racing. “We launched this team with the vision of creating an avenue for great Canadian drivers to showcase their talent. We are delighted to have Andrew Ranger team with our other great Canadian talent, JR Fitzpatrick. We are creating a solid young Canadian team that we can build our future around. Between these two drivers they have captured 3 of the last 5 Canadian Championships.”

JR Fitzpatrick won’t be competing in the Nationwide Series this weekend, but will be back in the car at the team’s next race at Watkins Glen on August 13th.

Andrew will be pulling double duty this weekend as he will also run in the K&N East, New England 125 on Friday. Andrew is fresh off his win of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race at the Honda Indy in Toronto last Saturday, and is looking forward to carrying his success into next weekend.

“I am really excited about competing in both the Nationwide and K&N race next weekend, I have two great teams behind me and I hope to deliver a solid result in both races.” said Ranger

About Andrew Ranger: Andrew was born November 20 1986 in Roxton Pond Quebec Canada. A two time Canadian National Champion in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, Andrew is not only one of Canada’s most popular young drivers, he is one of its busiest. In addition to his new duties with Go Canada Racing, he has raced in both the K&N Pro Series, ARCA, and recently ran in the NASCAR Nationwide Series placing 6th driving the #53 Waste Management Dodge at Elkhart Lake Wisconsin, all this while still trying to compete for a third championship in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series.

About Go Canada Racing: Go Canada Racing launched on April 19th, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario Canada. Go Canada Racing is one of the only Canadian owned Nationwide teams and the only team to have a Canadian owner and drivers. Go Canada Racing #67 Ford will be racing in the Nationwide series in 2011 with a goal of being a full time Sprint Cup team by 2013. With the support of 7 Million Canadian NASCAR fans behind it Go Canada Racing aspires to Sprint Cup glory.

From Go Canada Racing

Lapcevich livid after late-race wreck ruins strong run; Grimsby racer relegated to 13th place in NASCAR’s Streets of Toronto 100

PHOTO BY GARY GRANT - TheGarageBlog.com


July 9, 2011, GRIMSBY, ON – Jeff Lapcevich appeared on his way to a great finish in Toronto when contact on a late restart relegated the Grimsby NASCAR racer to a 13th place finish. The Tim Hortons-sponsored Lapcevich was furious about the situation.
“That was a great example of how not to race somebody,” said the incensed Lapcevich after the race. “I got right up beside Robin Buck, and he drove me straight into the wall. We restart double file in NASCAR, but you can’t run two wide with him. We did it all day with several others.
“There was a lot of chaos behind me when he stuffed me in the wall. Guys were checking up, and it could have been disastrous for a lot of them including Buck, but that’s how he races.”
After spending part of Friday’s practice session atop the leader board Lapcevich qualified only 10th in the stellar 33-car field. Things got worse when the team was penalized for failing to follow NASCAR procedure when making post-qualifying repairs.
“I was so disappointed that we only qualified 10th that being put to the back of the field really didn’t seem so bad,” said Lapcevich. “The car was amazing. I could pass under braking almost at will. We were definitely on the move.”
Lapcevich started on the outside lane in each of the race’s starts and restarts after caution periods. Each time he gained positions by making challenging passes on the outside.
He methodically picked off cars lap after lap moving towards the front. With just a few laps to go he ran seventh right behind a trio of competitors. A full-course caution allowed him the opportunity to restart among the leaders.
NASCAR officials announced the restart would be the only attempt at a green-white-checker finish. The drivers knew this was their only opportunity to make a move.
“The restart couldn’t have worked out better except I had to race on the outside of Buck” said Lapcevich. “I was right up to the fourth place on the outside going into turn one, and then I got wrecked. Usually Robin’s late-race desperation costs him, but this time it ruined our race.
“He’s been wrecking us for a lot of years now. JR Fitzpatrick (fellow NASCAR racer) was right when he said that racing with Robin is like being in a demolition derby.”
“Once I got into the wall I knew we were finished. I hit hard, and the car didn’t feel the same afterwards. The front end was definitely bent. After that it was a matter of just surviving to the finish.”
Lapcevich remains fifth in the season points standings despite his disappointing result. The team will miss the series’ western Canadian swing of two races in favour of competing in ‘The Grands’ with his boys Cayden and Treyten in their quarter midget race cars.
For more information on the Lapcevich racing family visit LapcevichRacing.com.

BOURQUE BATTLES IN TORONTO

Canadian NASCAR driver Pierre Bourque hit the streets of Toronto’s Exhibition Place this past weekend for round number five of the 2011 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. The race was part of the Toronto Indy weekend and run in front of thousands of enthusiastic racing fans. As he piloted the #00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Bourque was looking to show the capabilities of his race team.

During the practice session Bourque had some setbacks. “The #00 Aaron’s Dream Machine came in to pit lane for a routine check and discovered a problem with the starter” stated Bourque. “I returned to the track for more laps and came back for a second stop to replace the starter and the team noticed oil leaking from a cracked bell housing. That would end our practice session with only one third of the time elapsed” explained Bourque.

The practice troubles made qualifying difficult and Bourque was only able to manage a twenty sixth best qualifying run. “Have the practice troubles put us behind the eight ball” said the driver. “But I knew the #00 Aaron’s Dream Machine is a strong car and I was determined to make up for that during the race” stated Bourque.

With the drop of the green flag on the 100km event Bourque began making good on his mission.“The

#00 Aaron’s Dream Machine felt great” said Bourque. “I was able to make some passes and gain positions and move up to sixteenth and still had two thirds of the race to go. I felt we were in for a good afternoon” he added.

Sadly troubles recurred in the #00 Aaron’s Dream Machine that would dash those hopes. “We had something break in the back end of the car” explained a disappointed Bourque. “It’s just one of those things that happen but it’s frustrating when we’re making such good progress and heading for a very good finish, likely in the top ten” he stated.

Pierre Bourque will race the #00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Dodge next in the Canadian Tire Series on Saturday July 23^rd at Motoplex Speedway near Vernon, BC. “We had a strong car last year in BC and everybody was super competitive. Last year we actually got airborne in the #00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Dodge after some contact which gave the fans and the driver plenty of excitement” said Bourque. “It’s a wonderful track and facility and I’m looking forward to getting back there” he added.

About Aaron's, Inc.: Aaron's, Inc. (NYSE: AAN and AAN.A), the nation's leader in the sales and lease ownership, specialty retailing and rental of residential and office furniture, consumer electronics and home appliances and accessories has more than 1,575 Company-operated and franchised stores in 48 states and Canada. Founded in 1955 by entrepreneur R. Charles Loudermilk, Sr. and headquartered in Atlanta, Aaron's has been publicly traded since 1982. For more information, visit www.shopaarons.com.

About Telus Mobility: Telus is unique in the Canadian market because we now operate three distinct wireless networks: 3G+, 3G (CDMA) and Mike (iDEN). When you choose Telus, you get clear and simple pricing, the latest and greatest devices, an exceptional client experience plus Canada's fastest 3G+ network. More information: http://www.telusmobility.com

About Mahindra USA Farm Equipment Sector

Houston, Texas-based Mahindra USA Farm Equipment Sector is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mahindra & Mahindra LTD, and part of Mahindra & Mahindra's Farm Equipment Sector (FES) - the largest tractor company in the world by volume. Mahindra's professional-grade tractors are built with heavy-duty components that allow them to outperform other tractors in their class and are designed to provide consumers with the ability to push more, pull more and lift more, so they can do more, in less time.

For more information on Pierre Bourque, go to http://www.pierrebourque.com and http://www.twitter.com/pierrebourque

Attached Photo: Pierre Bourque in the #00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Dodge

Photo Credit: Gary Grant www.thegarageblog.com

LESSONS LEARNED FOR NOEL DOWLER IN TORONTO

Sherwood Park, Alberta’s Noel Dowler returned to action in round number five of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series this past weekend on the streets of Toronto. As part of the Toronto Indy weekend Dowler looked to continue his growth and gain more experience at the wheel of the #5 EMCO Dodge on the temporary street course.

Dowler is still getting used to the handling characteristics of these nearly 3,000 pound stock cars and learned the hard way that it’s extremely difficult to slow and stop the cars from about 150 mph on the long lakeshore road straightaway during the only practice session. “I was going too quickly into corner number three and the car went through the corner and into the run off area” said Dowler.

Sadly there was extensive damage to the #5 EMCO Dodge and the team would be forced to spend the rest of the afternoon making repairs and miss the qualifying session. “It’s not so much that we didn’t get to qualify” explained Dowler, “but I really wanted to get as much time on the track as possible” he stated.

Dowler would start the #5 EMCO Dodge at the tail end of the field for the 100km with the mission of finishing the race and absorbing as much information as he could. “I just wanted to watch the experienced drivers and learn from them and improve with each lap” said Dowler.

As the race progressed Dowler did exactly that. He showed racing smarts to never put the #5 EMCO Dodge into an uncomfortable position and continued the learning process. Noel Dowler also had the opportunity to learn from a familiar coach. His father Kevin Dowler was asked to relive another injured driver during the race and Noel was able to watch the savvy veteran. “It was really great” said the younger Dowler. “I got to follow him for quite a few laps and really learned a lot about how to handle the car” he stated.

The next event of the 2011 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series schedule for Noel Dowler takes place Saturday July 23^rd at Motoplex Speedway near Vernon, BC. Dowler will participate in a total of five road and street course events, along with the two oval track races at Motoplex Speedway in Vernon, BC and Auto Clearing Speedway in Saskatoon for a total of seven races. All of the 2011 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races will be broadcast on TSN. Check local listings for times in your area. For more information about Noel Dowler Jr. log onto www.apollomotorsports.ca

Attached Photo: The #5 EMCO Dodge in Toronto

Photo Credit: Gary Grant www.thegarageblog.com

EARLY EXIT FOR ISABELLE TREMBLAY IN TORONTO

Isabelle Tremblay from St. Hippolyte, Quebec was still riding high from her career best finish in the #07 ADF Diesel/Group Beton Brunet Ford during the previous event in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series as she came to Toronto for round number five of the series. On the streets of Exhibition Place as part of the Toronto Indy weekend Tremblay was looking forward to return to the sight of her first ever race in the series just one year ago and she attracted an enormous crowd and plenty of attention from race fans over the weekend.

The excitement quickly turned to frustration for Tremblay and the #07 ADF Diesel/Group Beton Brunet Ford team during practice. “The team had made some changes to the car that was a bit uncomfortable for my driving style” said Tremblay. The car appeared not to be running at peak performance.

Gremlins persisted during the qualifying session and Tremblay was only able to manage a twenty first qualifying position in the #07 ADF Diesel/Group Beton Brunet Ford. “I could still feel that we were having troubles with the carburetor so my Crew Chief Randy Smith and the team went to work to change it out and make the car better” said Tremblay.

The #07 ADF Diesel/Group Beton Brunet Ford team worked hard making improvements to the car and their efforts showed. “From the start of the race the car felt much better and more comfortable to my driving style” said Tremblay. “Randy and the whole team did a great job with the changes” she added.

Knowing she had a lot of traffic to negotiate Tremblay looked to be consistent in the early going of the race and patiently improve her position throughout the race. With a much improved #07 ADF Diesel/Group Beton Brunet Ford, her plan worked in the early going and Tremblay moved up quickly to fourteenth position. “I really felt like I had a good handling race car like I did at the Mosport race” said Tremblay.

As Tremblay gained confidence in the improved handling race car and continued to look for more opportunities to gain positions her fortunes changed near the midpoint of the race. While negotiating her way down the long Lakeshore straightaway Tremblay’s #07 ADF Diesel/Group Beton Brunet Ford was hit from behind and sent hard into the wall. “It was a mistake by the #55 driver” explained Tremblay. “I know he’s young and he made a mistake and I talked with him about it after the race. It’s frustrating to have the day end like that, but we just have to move on” she added.

The positive that Tremblay and the #07 ADF Diesel/Group Beton Brunet Ford will take from the race is how they worked together to improve the car after early difficulties. “The communication that I have with the team is very good. They listen to me and know that I can feel if something is not quite right in the car and we can address it” said Tremblay.

Isabelle Tremblay will next race during the western swing of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series on July 23^rd at Motoplex Speedway near Vernon, BC.

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

Photo Included: Isabelle Tremblay

Photo Credit: Gary Grant www.thegarageblog.com

BROKEN SHOCK A HANDFUL FOR THORNDYKE

David Thorndyke and the #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet team came looking for another solid effort during round number five of the NASCAR Canadian Tire series in Toronto this past weekend. The 100 km stock car race was part of the Toronto Indy weekend the team looked to back up their strong showing at Mosport two weeks earlier.

The plan for the #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet was simple during practice. Make sure the car was working well, and stay off the concrete walls that line the track. “I just tried to get used to the track again” said Thorndyke “and we did that” he added.

The #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet did not have a great qualifying run and Thorndyke would start the race from the thirtieth position. “Our plan for the race is always the same” explained Thorndyke. “Take it easy, let the race sort itself out and just run our race, don’t worry about the other guys” he stated.

As the race progressed Thorndyke’s plan was working well. “The race was going pretty well” he stated. “I’d gained a few positions and wasn’t really pushing the #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet too hard” he added.

With the race laps ticking away Thorndyke had moved the #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet forward about ten positions and appeared headed for another very good finish. It was during these late stages that he felt the handling change dramatically. “It wasn’t too bad on left hand corners, but on the right handers it would wheel hop, so I dialed some more rear brake into the car but couldn’t go too far” explained the diver.

Thorndyke would take advantage of a late race caution to make a pit stop to have the problem checked. He brought the #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet to pit road and the crew determined it was a broken left shock. Thorndyke returned to the race and nursed the wounded car home to a twenty third place finish. “Considering the handling of the car it wasn’t too bad” said Thorndyke. “We gained seven spots during the race and the car is in good shape except for that left front shock” he added.

David Thorndyke and the EVT Chevrolet team are next scheduled to race during the Grand Prix of Trois Rivieres the weekend of August 6 & 7^th. For more NASCAR Canadian Tire Series information log onto www.nascar.ca and to learn more about the #67 Thorsons EVT/iRacing.com Chevrolet team go to www.promotiveracing.com

Attached Photo Caption: The #67 Thorsons EVT Chevrolet in Toronto

Photo Credit: Gary Grant www.thegarageblog.com

David Ostella, Firestone Indy Lights Toronto 100 Race Report

David Ostella endured one of the most disappointing race days of his career yesterday as the incredible high of racing in front of his home town friends and family disappeared in an instant on lap thirteen of the Toronto 100, the Firestone Indy Lights support race to the Honda Indy Toronto. The teenager from Maple, Ontario, had raced three spots forward and into the top ten after a difficult qualifying session when he nosed into the tire wall at turn eight attempting to pass into eighth position.  

- David is the only Canadian racing full-time in the Firestone Indy Lights Championship

- The Toronto 100 at Exhibition Place was the seventh event of the 2011 Schedule

- David's starting position = 12

- David's finishing position = 13

- David's championship standing = 8th, 160 points

- For additional information on David Ostella or Jensen Motorsport, please contact Team President Eric Jensen,  eric@jensenmotorsport.com

Fantastic Race Weekend for CTCC at Honda Indy Toronto

Toronto, July 10th 2011 – Racing in the streets of Toronto is always a special event, but this year, it was one of the bests overall for the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship presented by Continental Tire (CTCC). Great weather and even greater action was on the weekend agenda.

Most importantly, fans were there to cheer for their favourite driver and get closer for a picture or an autograph!

Round 8 of this wonderful weekend was a close and competitive race. The much cleaner track helped CTCC competitors to put on a great show however the race started with an incident on the first lap. Dean Fantin from the Amico Racing Team did not complete a lap due to a broken driveshaft and pulled off into the runoff at corner three. P.J. Groenke retired early after an on-track incident. Arek Wojciechowski from 8Legs Racing, Michael DellaDonne from the RMP Competizione Team and Dave Ciekiewicz from Donnington Motorsports also did not complete the race.

Super Class

Despite the incidents that occurred during the first half of this 30 minute race, the pace was kept at hand and the fastest lap was achieved by the Super Class leader, Richard Boake in his Subaru STI. His best lap time was

1:19.870 and it allowed him to stay far in front of the field during the whole race. Boake won for the second time on the weekend and he was followed by the Quebec driver Mathieu Audette in his Acura RSX, and Alex Healy for the third position, also driving an Acura RSX. This was a dream weekend for Audette as he also had a double podium during the Honda Indy Toronto weekend, which was his first appearance with CTCC this year. "If I had one more lap I could have gotten Boake", he said.

On his part, Healy was very happy to have gotten on the podium and make the points. He humorously declared "I am a little disappointed, I was not the fastest Acura on the track today", referring to Audette.

Fourth and fifth positions were earned by Sasha Anis from the G1 Racing Team and Nick Wittmer from the Lombardi Honda.

Touring Class

In the Touring Class battle, it was Groundhog Day as the three top drivers from the Saturday race were back on the podium. This time, Tom Kwok managed to pass both MINIs with his Honda Civic and earned the first place. Both Quebec drivers Alain Lauzière and his teammate Michel Sallenbach got second and third place, respectively.

"I just wanted to keep going and going and get faster to pass Alain", said Kwok.

"We knew it would be a fast race today, but Tom passed us fair and square", declared Lauzière. "What helps us to stay in front is that the MINIs are very stable and the original parts make those cars reliable. I am happy of this weekend's performance"

Fourth and fifth positions were earned by Anthony Rapone from the Durabond Racing Team and his teammate, Andre Rapone.

Worthy of mention

Again today, the BMW 328i Super Class driver from the 8Legs Racing, Eric Hochgeschurz gained 15 positions after starting in 31st place and finishing in 16th. Fastco Motorsports Super Class driver Lee Chaplin was 1.5 seconds faster per lap today compared to Round 7 and declared : "I am convinced that I gained speed because of my braking stability, everybody is jealous of my StopTech Brakes", said Chaplin. "I am so happy about this position and I owe this to my crew who are doing a great job."

To get the complete result of Round Seven and Eight, visit www.touringcar.ca. You can also follow CTCC on Facebook and Twitter.

The Championship's 9th and 10th Rounds will take place on July 22 to 24 at Grand Prix of Mosport at Mosport International Raceway.

About CTCC

The Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship presented by Continental Tire is Canada's only professional road racing series. Now in its fifth year, CTCC showcases race cars based on their stock street version. In 2011, CTCC will be featured at Circuit ICAR, Mosport International Raceway, Honda Indy Toronto, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières.

Experience the rush of touring car racing!

Round 7: MINI teammates win 1st and 2nd in Touring, Boake still 1st in Super

Round 7: MINI teammates win 1st and 2nd in Touring, Boake still 1st in Super Toronto, July 9th 2011 – A very intense race was battled today at Honda Indy Toronto with a tight race from start to finish. The race started late because cleanup was required due to track damages from an earlier race.

It was a clean and fast start but Carleton Place driver, Eric Hochgeschurz, pulled into pit lane on the second pace lap and immediately retired from the race with an engine problem. Hochgeschurz's teammate, Arek Wojciechowski, spun and was stopped in the middle of corner eight which brought out the first full course yellow. Both were unfortunate incidents for the teammates.

At the restart, King City driver Richard Boake lead the field but his teammate, Dave Ciekievicz suffered a brake problem and pulled his Subaru STI into the runoff area and retired. Challenging track conditions also resulted in three different cars getting flat tires. Furthermore, three cars lost their rear bumpers from contacts with the walls.

There was another full course yellow on lap 12 when Ryan Blanchet suffered a mechanical breakdown with his Honda Civic Si and was stuck in a bad spot on the track. The race ended early under full course yellow due to schedule constraints and the time it would take to retrieve Blanchet's car.

At the checkered, Richard Boake was in first place in Super Class, followed by Brampton driver Sasha Anis and Quebec driver Mathieu Audette. Quebec driver Alain Lauzière won in Touring Class driving his MINI Cooper S JCW, his teammate, Michel Sallenbach, also in a MINI Cooper S JCW was second followed by Honda Civic driver Tom Kwok.

Notable drives include Bob Attrell in a Hyundai Genesis Coupe who went from the 29th spot to 18th overall and Jeff Pabst who drove his Audi A5 from 30th to 16th position. That was a very strong race for the Pfaff Automotive Partner's Audi A5.

Fans can keep track of live CTCC competition with their smartphone or computer by connecting to www.livetiming.net/ctcc. CTCC live timing is available whenever and wherever the racecars are on the track. For more details about CTCC, visit www.touringcar.ca. You can also follow CTCC on Facebook and Twitter.

About CTCC

The Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship presented by Continental Tire is Canada's only professional road racing series. Now in its fifth year, CTCC showcases race cars based on their stock street version. In 2011, CTCC will be featured at Circuit ICAR, Mosport International Raceway, Honda Indy Toronto, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières.

Experience the rush of touring car racing!

Stellar weekend foiled on lap three for McColm in Toronto; Crash takes Ajax NASCAR racer out early in Streets of Toronto 100

PHOTO BY GARY GRANT - TheGarageBlog.com

July 9, 2011, AJAX, ON – Joey McColm entered the Streets of Toronto 100 with a sound game plan Saturday. The Ajax, Ontario, NASCAR racer started 15th in Saturday’s 33-car field, and the goal was to avoid trouble early to mount a late challenge.
His plan derailed on lap three when contact with another racer sent his Race Time Radio-sponsored Dodge into the retaining wall and out of the race.
“It’s frustrating,” said McColm after the race. “We came here wanting to have a great run in front of our home town crowd. It was way too early in the race for that to happen.”
McColm is running a limited schedule in 2011. He enjoyed a top-10 result at Mosport International Raceway recently, and he entered Toronto on an extremely limited budget. The tires he practiced on were more than a year old.
“We didn’t put on new tires until qualifying,” said McColm. “I wasn’t really sure what the car would do until we went out to turn a good lap. I was pleased with how well it ran.”
McColm lost a couple spots racing conservatively at the start, but he was confident things would come his way as the race went on.
“I was pretty confident the positions I lost at the start would come back to me later in the race,” said McColm. “I settled in to let things spread out, and I was shocked that I got squeezed up into the wall. The car is damaged pretty badly.”
McColm plans to get repairs made in time to compete in Montreal with Espar as his primary sponsor. Despite the setbacks this weekend he has reason for optimism with the handling on his race car.
“We never want to have setbacks like this,” said McColm. “But the car worked well, and I know we’ll have a better showing in Montreal.”
For more information, or to schedule an interview with McColm, e-mail jmccolm@cm2c.ca.
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Ranger reels in second straight Toronto NASCAR win; PNH Solutions car visits victory lane for second straight year in Streets of Toronto 100

July 9, TORONTO, ON –NASCAR racer Andrew Ranger leaves Toronto the same way he arrived – undefeated. The Roxton Pond, Quebec, driver sponsored by PNH Solutions passed pole-sitter and early leader Jason Bowles, and then held off a late-race challenge by Scott Steckly to take the win.
“I was a little nervous with the caution at the end,” said Ranger after the race. “Anything can happen with a green-white-checker finish, and I was just happy to stay in the lead.”
The race went two laps longer than originally scheduled when a full course caution flew just three laps from the finish. The late restart evaporated the big lead Ranger had developed. The young lion showed no signs of nerves as he held off the challenges of Steckly to take the victory.
“We knew with Andrew Ranger we would always be in contention for wins,” said Court Armstrong, Vice-President of PNH Solutions. “Toronto is an important market for us. We have one of our offices in Toronto, and plenty of our work is showcased around the Honda Indy grounds. This caps off a perfect weekend for us.”
PNH Solutions is working with Ranger, Isabelle Tremblay, and Alex Tagliani – all racing out of Dave Jacombs Racing. The next events on the schedule for the PNH drivers is the Grand Prix of Trois Rivieres next month in Quebec followed by NASCAR’s premier Canadian event on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal.
Ranger is among Canada’s busiest stock car racers. He travels to Loudon, New Hampshire to compete with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR Nationwide series next weekend.
PNH is the exclusive supplier to Dave Jacombs Racing of tents, flags, and wraps. PNH promotes exacting quality of execution and very quick turnaround times. The race team exudes those qualities. Specifically PNH will promote its vehicle wrap print production and installation services.
PNH serves its growing market with locations in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, and New York. For more information on PNH Innovations visit www.pnh.ca.
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