NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Race Recap: Kennington Wins Kawartha; Steckly Takes Title

FRASERVILLE, Ont. (Sept. 24, 2011) – D.J. Kennington took the win in the Kawartha 250 on Saturday to become the first two-time winner at Kawartha Speedway, while Scott Steckly wrapped up his second NASCAR Canadian Tire Series championship with a runner-up finish.

Kennington - last year's series champion, who scored his previous win at the .375-mile track in 2009 - held off Steckly in a green-white-checkered finish as the series capped off its fifth season.

J.R. Fitzpatrick charged back after losing a lap in the pits to battle Steckly in the closing laps and finish third. Kerry Micks took fourth, with Mark Dilley in fifth. Sixth was Don Thomson Jr. Steve Mathews, who won his first career series pole in qualifying earlier in the day, recovered from a spin to finish seventh and was the top finishing rookie. Jason White, Jeff Lapcevich and last year's race winner, Pete Shepherd III, completed the top 10.

The victory marked Kennington's second win of the year and the 11th of his career, putting him in a tie with Steckly for second on the list of career series victories. The driver of the No. 17 Castrol Edge Dodge, from St. Thomas, Ont., came into the final event trailing Steckly by 94 points. Although he was quickest in practice, a slip in qualifying put him 10th on the starting grid. He initially took the lead from Fitzpatrick on Lap 70 and was out front for 20 circuits. Kennington later chased down Shepherd and passed him to take the lead for good on Lap 167.

Although he built a lead of more than three seconds, that margin was erased by a late-race caution that brought about the green-white-checkered finish. 

Steckly was able to wrap up the 2011 championship early in the race, needing only to finish 25th or better for the title. The Milverton, Ont., driver started the race in fourth and kept his No. 22 Canadian Tire/MotoMaster Dodge in the lead pack throughout the race. He was on Fitzpatrick's back bumper with 20 laps to go and managed to get by for second at the finish.

Meanwhile, Louis-Philippe Dumoulin clinched the Rookie of the Year title with a 16th-place finish at Kawartha. He came into the place with a 1-point lead in the rookie standings over Isabelle Tremblay, who finished 20th.

The Kawartha 250 will premiere on TSN at 12:30 p.m. ET on Sat. Oct. 15 with a special 90-minute show.

UNOFFICIAL

NASCAR CANADIAN TIRE SERIES-Kawartha 250 Results

Saturday

At Kawartha Speedway

Fraserville, Ontario

Lap length: 0.375 miles

(Start position in parentheses)

1. (10) D.J. Kennington, St. Thomas, Ont., Dodge, 253 laps, 42.984 mph.

2. (4) Scott Steckly, Milverton, Ont., Dodge, 253.

3. (2) J.R. Fitzpatrick, Ayr, Ont., Chevrolet, 253.

4. (7) Kerry Micks, Mt. Albert, Ont., Ford, 253.

5. (8) Mark Dilley, Barrie, Ont., Dodge, 253.

6. (6) Don Thomson, Jr., Hamilton, Ont., Dodge, 253.

7. (1) Steve Mathews, New Liskeard, Ont., Ford, 253.

8. (16) Jason White, Sun Peaks, B.C., Dodge, 253.

9. (12) Jeff Lapcevich, Grimsby, Ont., Dodge, 253.

10. (3) Pete Shepherd, III, Brampton, Ont., Dodge, 253.

11. (14) Dexter Stacey, Kahnawake, Que., Dodge, 253.

12. (17) John Fletcher, Ancaster, Ont., Dodge, 253.

13. (21) Joey McColm, Ajax, Ont., Dodge, 253.

14. (26) Brandon White, Kahnawake, Que., Chevrolet, 251.

15. (25) Nick Jewell, The Pas, Man., Dodge, 251.

16. (20) L.P. Dumoulin, Trois-Rivieres, Que., Dodge, 251.

17. (11) Ron Beauchamp, Jr., Windsor, Ont., Dodge, 251.

18. (18) Trevor Monaghan, Hamilton, Ont., Chevrolet, 247.

19. (23) Hugo Vannini, Repentigny, Que., Ford, 246.

20. (22) Isabelle Tremblay, St. Hippolyte, Que., Ford, 238.

21. (9) Jason Hathaway, Appin, Ont., Dodge, 219.

22. (5) Donald Chisholm, Antigonish, N.S., Ford, 201, accident.

23. (15) Chris Raabe, Napanee, Ont., Dodge, 166, vibration.

24. (13) Brad Graham, Glencoe, Ont., Dodge, 153.

25. (24) Noel Dowler, Sherwood Park, Alta., Dodge, 145, accident.

26. (19) Derek White, Kahnawake, Que., Chevrolet, 36, accident.

Race Statistics

Time of Race: 2 hours 12 minutes 26 seconds

Margin of Victory: .358 seconds

Fastest Qualifier: S.Mathews * (76.112 mph, 17.737 seconds)

Caution Flags: 13 for 89 laps.

Lead Changes: 8 among 6 drivers.

Lap Leaders: J. Fitzpatrick 1-64; D. Thomson,Jr. 65; J. Fitzpatrick 66-69; D. Kennington 70-90; S. Steckly 91-110; S. Mathews 111-137; J. Fitzpatrick 138-139; P. Shepherd,III 140-166; D. Kennington 167-253.

Standings: 1. S. Steckly, 1960; 2. D. Kennington, 1881; 3. J. Fitzpatrick, 1774; 4. K. Micks, 1754; 5. D. Thomson,Jr., 1731; 6. M. Dilley, 1631; 7. R. Beauchamp,Jr., 1571; 8. J. White, 1499; 9. J. Hathaway, 1450; 10. D. Stacey, 1396.

For more information, contact: Shon Sbarra, NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications, (704) 309-5493 or ssbarra@nascar.com

Steckly

**************************
From Greg MacPherson

NCATS Kawartha

Qualifying set to begin...

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series - Kawartha 250 today!

COMING UP TODAY... The Kawartha 250 on Saturday at Kawartha Speedway in Fraserville, Ont., will mark the 12th and final event of the 2011 season for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series at which a new champion will be crowned. PLEASE NOTE THE START TIME OF 5 P.M.
Race results will be available following the event. In the meantime, race-day activities - including practice, qualifying and race action - can be followed at www.nascarhometracks.com.
* * * * * * *
The Race: Kawartha 250
The Place: Kawartha Speedway - Fraserville, Ont.
The Date: Saturday, Sept. 24
The Time: 5 p.m. ET
Race Distance: 250 laps (93.75 miles)
TV Schedule: TSN - Saturday, Oct. 15, 12:30 p.m. ET
Track Layout: .375-mile tri-oval
2010 Winner: Pete Shepherd III
2010 Pole: D.J. Kennington
Schedule:   Practice 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.; Qualifying 3 p.m.
ENTRY LIST
            CAR   DRIVER                                                                                                        TEAM
                01    Chris Raabe, Napanee, Ont. *................................................................. Canadian Tire/MotoMaster/Sylvania Dodge
                02    Kerry Micks, Mt. Albert, Ont.................................................................... Dickies/Beyond Digital Imaging Ford
                   3    Jason Hathaway, Appin, Ont.................................................................. Snap-on Tools/Vortex Brake Pads Dodge
                   5    Noel Dowler, Sherwood Park, Alta. *...................................................... EMCO/Whitemud Mechanical Dodge
                07    Isabelle Tremblay, St. Hippolyte, Que. *............................................... Groupe Beton Brunet/ADF Diesel Ford
                   7    Pete Shepherd, III, Brampton, Ont......................................................... Hy-Tech Drilling/Nat'l Exhaust Dodge
                   8    Don Thomson, Jr., Hamilton, Ont........................................................... Farmers Feed Families Dodge
                   9    Mark Dilley, Barrie, Ont............................................................................ Rheem/Exide Dodge
                10    Brandon White, Kahnawake, Que. *..................................................... OCR Gaz Bar Chevrolet
                13    Trevor Monaghan, Hamilton, Ont.......................................................... Canadian Heroes Chevrolet
                15    Steve Mathews, New Liskeard, Ont. *.................................................... Bill Mathews Motors Ford
                17    D.J. Kennington, St. Thomas, Ont.......................................................... Castrol Edge Dodge
                19    Brad Graham, Glencoe, Ont..................................................................... Holmar Plumbing Dodge
                21    Jason White, Sun Peaks, B.C................................................................... A&W Cruisin' The Dub Dodge
                22    Scott Steckly, Milverton, Ont................................................................... Canadian Tire/MotoMaster Dodge
                23    Jeff Lapcevich, Grimsby, Ont.................................................................. Tim Hortons Dodge
                47    L.P. Dumoulin, Trois-Rivieres, Que. *..................................................... Maskimo/Somavrac Dodge
                50    Joey McColm, Ajax, Ont.......................................................................... Espar Dodge
                51    Nick Jewell, The Pas, Man. *.................................................................... Twin Motors Dodge
                55    Dexter Stacey, Kahnawake, Que............................................................ Playground Poker Club Dodge
                56    John Fletcher, Ancaster, Ont. *................................................................ K&K Insurance/B&B Decals Dodge
                60    Ron Beauchamp, Jr., Windsor, Ont........................................................ Mopar/Mobil 1 Dodge
                71    Patrice Brisebois, West Mount, Que. *................................................... L'equipeur Dodge
                84    J.R. Fitzpatrick, Ayr, Ont........................................................................... Equipment Express Chevrolet
                89    Donald Chisholm, Antigonish, N.S.......................................................... Nova Construction/Keltic Ford Ford
                97    Hugo Vannini, Repentigny, Que. *........................................................ Vannini Motorsports Ford
                99    Derek White, Kahnawake, Que............................................................... Deer Excavation Chevrolet
* Rookie of the Year Contender
From Shon Sbarra / NASCAR

Brighton Speedway: Applefest Friday rained out

Racing action at Brighton Speedway has been cancelled for Friday, September 23rd due to rain.  We are working with DIRTcar to determine the feasibility of a rescheduled Sportsman race.  The Comp 4's, Pro Stocks and Stingers cars have not been rescheduled as of now.  Should time and weather allow we will keep everyone posted.

Saturday will mark the return of the Belleville Goodyear Auto Service 358 DIRT Modified Applefest Shootout presented by ImageFactor.ca. The mighty 358 Modifieds will return for a scheduled 50 laps, $2,000.00 to win and $300.00 to start event.

The DIRTcar 358's will be complimented on Saturday Night with the Brighton Speedway / Merrittville Speedway Duel in the Dirt $1,000.00 to win race for Street Stocks.  This 50 lap event pits the best Brighton drivers against the best Street Stock drivers from western Ontario.  DIRTcar Pro Late Models and Canadian Modifieds will also be on the racing card while the NYCDA and TUSA Mod-Lites.

For updates and info, visit www.brightonspeedway.com

Ratchet Racing Race Report

Stayner, ON: Mixed Results for Ratchet Racing at the British Empire Motor Club Indian Summer Enduro 

The #78 Ratchet Racing, Artic Snowplows, Jerry’s Autobody, Sign Effects, Stayner Travel Trailer had mixed results on Saturday at the 57th Annual British Empire Motor Club Indian Summer Enduro.  Heading into the 3 hour Enduro, Tapley held the GT3 Championship lead, needing only to score points in the final two races of the season to secure his first championship.  

Despite only needing to score points, the Ratchet Racing crew meticulously prepared for the annual three hour enduro in hopes of a high finishing position or overall win.  The Ratchet Racing crew expanded its efforts in a technical and strategic partnership with Ottawa ’s Russell Saulnier, owner and driver of the #42 Dodge Ram GT2 truck and his co-driver, Robert Mitten of Plantation Florida .  The crew took on the challenge of preparation and pit crewing for both trucks for the three hour race. The partnership, while a logistic challenge, made perfect sense given the similarities between the two former Pro Trucks, and the time the two teams spend “bench racing” in the paddock on race weekends.  

The race began with both trucks starting near the pointy end of the 36 car feild, and steadily moved up positions. The team provided a flawless fuel stop for #42 at around the 1 hour mark.  Tapley in the #78 was forced to alter his strategy and make an earlier than planned fuel stop at around the 70 minute mark when he began to report to Crew Chief Darwin Whitton a fuel pressure issue.  After returning to the track after another flawless stop by the Ratchet Racing Crew, Tapley began to report the issue was worsening and came to a stop at the entrance of pit road while attempting to return to the pits.  After receiving a push from the Bobs Towing tow truck the crew attempted to resolve the issues unsuccessfully. At the around 1 hour 47 minute mark, Tapley was forced to retire from the race.  While disappointed with his first DNF of his career, Tapley was elated to have scored enough points to surely lock up in the Paragon Competition GT Challenge Series GT 3 Championship.  This will be the first championship for the Stayner, Ontario driver in #78 Ratchet Racing, Artic Snowplows, Jerry’s Autobody, Sign Effects, Stayner Travel Trailer Chevy Silverado.  

While Tapley was forced to retire to the paddock, the #42 Dodge Ram of Saulnier and Mitten continued to set consistent laps, taking the overall race lead.  At around the 2 hour mark Saulnier brought the #42 in for a scheduled change of the left front tire and a final fuel stop, handing over the controls to Mitten for the final hour of the race. The Ratchet Racing crew performed another flawless stop, returning the #42 truck back on track in the lead of the race. Mitten continued to maintain fast laps, however was pressured by the extremely fast #76 GT1 Subaru of Nigel Krikorian.  The super fast #76 eventually passed Mitten, the Subaru taking the overall race lead.  That lead was short lived however, as Mitten reported on the radio that the Subaru broke in corner 5, handing the lead back to Mitten in the #42.  The #42 of Saulnier and Mitten held on for the final laps to take a five lap win in the 57th Annual Indian Summer Enduro, and the beautiful hand carved Indian Summer Trophy. 

Brian Hoysa, Media Manager, Ratchet Racing

RB Components - New Product Information - Junior Door Cabinet

At RB Components, our R&D department is constantly developing new products and improving past designs. With this said we've developed the 2nd generation of the Junior Door Cabinet. Although, it was a proven seller we maximized it's effectiveness by providing an upper shelf that will accept four quart containers and a lower shelf that can store four aerosol cans. Combined with a fold down table that rotates on nylon washers, and you have a baby workhorse for those small trailer doors.
For use in your trailer, shop or garage, the Junior Door Cabinet can be mounted easily on the wall or door for convenient access to oil quarts or cleaner bottles and aerosol cans. The tray table is designed with an outer lip to hold screws and tools without rolling off the edge.
RB Components accessories come standard with a durable aluminum look powder coating for all RB Components manufactured items. This finish provides a tough, highly decorative, easy to clean and corrosion resistant product at no additional cost. 
Order Online: www.RBComponents.com

OSCAAR: Sunset Speedway 50 preview for Sunday, Sept. 25

STROUD, ON – It is the time of the year when the colour of the leaves begin to change and the Canadian racing season comes to a close. However, as any racing fan in the province of Ontario knows, it certainly does not end quietly. The eleventh stop on the 2011 OSCAAR tour is the third and final stop at Sunset Speedway. Both prior events produced some of the best racing this season and one of the largest car counts, and Sunday is not expected to be any exception.

Glenn Watson is attempting to sweep Sunset speedway for the 2011 season after winning the opening event in May and later in July. Watson was very strong in both races, but had to contend with nephew Brandon Watson on both occasions in order to get the win. The current points leader is coming off two sub-par performances where a blown engine forced him to borrow the car of competitor Charlie Gallant at Delaware Speedway, and a loose support arm on the rear wing of Watson’s car at Peterborough Speedway caused him to finish outside the top-ten for the first time this season.

Second place championship contender Wayne Isaacs is looking to improve upon two consecutive tenth place finishes and remains one of few drivers capable of catching Watson for the overall points lead. Isaacs has spent time over the year preparing his car for this event at Sunset Speedway, and certainly will be a force to be reckoned with come Sunday afternoon.

A field of 22 cars took the green flag at Sunset on July 3rd and a similar or larger number of cars is expected for this weekend’s season finale at Sunset Speedway, the Velocity 250. Among them will be the #62 ‘Orange Blossom Special’ of Lloyd Ritchie, fresh off his first ever OSCAAR feature win three weeks ago at Peterborough Speedway. Ritchie has had difficulties at Sunset Speedway this season with two DNFs and certainly will look to redeem himself.

Seasoned veterans Jeff Dunford and Jeff Hanley will be on hand in their #7T and #70 cars respectively. Hanley has won two of the three events he has entered this year, including the Don Biederman Memorial. Dunford has had a strong second half to the season after early season troubles and will look to repeat or better his third place finish at Peterborough three weeks ago.

Inside Track Rookie of the Year contender Brandon Vanderwel looks to continue his strong second half after two top-five finishes. Vanderwel was surprised by his team three weeks ago when they placed a brand new body on his car for the Peterborough Speedway event. Vanderwel rewarded the crew with a fifth place finish.

Former Sunset Late Model regular and current competitor on the American JEGS CRA Tour Brandon Watson is expected to be in attendance. Watson was one of the strongest competitors in his last event at Delaware Speedway before an incident forced him to retire. Watson also has two second place finishes to his credit this season, one of which was at Sunset. Watson is very familiar with Sunset and the Stayner, ON native will certainly use it to his advantage.

Tyler Hawn will look to get back on the right track after a pair of finishes outside the top-ten. The second generation driver out of Oro Station, ON will benefit from the close confines of Sunset Speedway with a Chevrolet Crate Motor under the hood. Hawn may have fallen out of the race to win the Rookie-of-the-Year award, but remains a threat for the top-ten each and every week.

Wayne Isaacs remains in close contention for the 2011 OSCAAR crown and will hope to knock Glenn Watson off the pedestal that has him in search of his fourth straight championship. With just two races remaining, there is no time to spare. The action will be fierce come Sunday afternoon, so be sure to take in all the action. OSCAAR will be the final feature of the night following the features for all Sunset weekly divisions, including mini stocks, thunder cars, and late models as well as mini trucks. The first green flag of the day is set to fly at 1:30pm.

By Clayton Johns

Schedule of Events

Pit Gates Open – 9:00am

OSCAAR Tech Opens – 9:45am

First OSCAAR Practice – 11:45am to 12:00pm

Final OSCAAR Practice – 12:30pm to 12:55pm.

Tech Closes – 12:30pm

Drivers Meeting – 1:10pm

Green Flag – 1:30pm

DSE Sportsman Racing Series presents "SPOOKTACULAR AT TMP"

Saturday October 1st and Sunday October 2nd
Two days of great bracket racing at TMP with SUPER PRO, MODIFIED,
STREET, JR DRAGSTERS, AND BIKE/SLED ET!
SUPER PRO AND MODIFIED have purses guaranteed at 17 cars! $600 to win,
$220 to runner up! $120 Semis! $70 TO WIN ROUND 2!
All classes pay for round 2 win! And all classes are 100% PAYBACK!!!
For more information visit www.dseautomotive.ca
DON'T MISS OUT ON THE LAST BRACKET RACE WEEKEND OF THE YEAR!

Grand Bend--Saturday, September 24th - Post-Poned until October 1st

Due to all the current weather forecasts showing rain on Friday,Saturday and Sunday and highs only in the low teens we are Rescheduling the FALL CLASSIC to next Saturday October 1st. Same gate times, same race programs etc. The long range forecast for next Saturday is Sunny with highs in the low 20's which is a much better way to have some fun and end the season. Please help us get the word out to other racers/friends that we have rescheduled this weekend so no one makes a trip for nothing. See you on the 1st !

(In the case of rain The Fall Classic Schedule will run on Sunday October 2nd.)

October 1st - Fall Classic (Extended Features)

Sponsored by JBM Leasing & McColl Racing Ent.

Get Two Days of Racing Packed into One!

On the Asphalt Track the OK Tire Jr. B Micro Sprints, McColl Racing Ent Jr. A Mini Sprints, Ultimate Custom Fiberglass Junior Late Models, Tommy's Motors, Warncliffe Rd. London 9HP Mini Sprint Division, and the Ultimate Sandblasting and Coatings Mini Trucks (regular divisions - laps to be determined by attendance)

Plus an Outlaw 440 Sprints Invitational brought to you by Action Drainage, Easy Building Products and Frank Willsie

1st - $350.00, 2nd - $250.00, 3rd - $175.00, all 440's will receive tow money.

Minimum weight 650 lbs.

Plus - On the Dirt Track, QRC and Open Dirt Invitational, All Flat Bottom 440's are Welcome

All QRC team's entry for driver and 2 crew members is paid for by their sponsor.

Asphalt gates open at 11:00 am, racing starts at 2:00 pm

Dirt Track practice starts at 5:00 pm, racing starts at 6:00 pm

Last Ditch Racing partners with X-Vision for Historic Video

Driver John Cassidy and Co-Driver Jennifer Daly faced considerable adversity during the recent Rallye Defi, round four of the Canadian Rally Championship to obtain the video.

Said Cassidy, "When we were approached by X-Vision about pioneering the application of their technology in a rally car, we ware on board immediately.  When I saw what the technology was capable of, I was blown away!  The possibilities of this technology are mind-boggling for action sports like rally.  Through this partnership, we're able to give the end user the ability to immerse themselves in the car and the event, panning and tilting the video through a full 360 degrees.  There are views of the rally car that neither I, nor anyone else has ever seen!"

Last Ditch Racing is no stranger to pioneering technology.  They were the first rally team in history to do a daily podcast from a WRC event, when they competed at the 2006 Corona Rally Mexico.  "Although we're competitors, we're also huge fans of the sport in general.  Anything we can do to promote the sport and expose it to new audiences is very exciting to us."

The team enjoyed a successful 2011, securing two podiums and two Open Class wins en route to Cassidy's win of the Rally America Eastern Regional Open Class Championship.

John and Jennifer want to extend a special thank you to their crew for the 2011 season: Drew Gladu, Duncan Matlack, Nathan Haskell, Jon Bolduc, Zach Sennett, Cullen Gillis, Bronson Crothers, Kevin Sennett and John Cassidy V and Craig Greenwell.

To see the result of Last Ditch Racing and X-Vision's partnership, please visit:  http://www.x-vision.ca/LDR/

For more information on X-Vision, please visit: http://www.x-vision.ca

Last Ditch Racing would like to thank their 2011 Partners for their support:

DTECH Motorsport, http://www.dtechmotorsport.com/

Mirraco, http://www.mirrabikeco.com/

VP Racing fuels,  http://www.vpracingfuels.com

Triple Caution, LLC, http://www.triplecaution.us

X-Vision:  http: www.x-vision.ca

For more information on Last Ditch Racing: http://www.lastditchracing.com

Social Networking:  Search for us on Facebook and Myspace.

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/lastditchracing

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/LastDitchRacing

To Purchase Last Ditch Racing Gear, please visit:

http://www.cafepress.com/lastditchracing

 

 

Marcelli Wins Pole Position And Races To Third Place In California

(Monterey, California) September 21st 2011 – It’s been a demanding last month for Canadian Race Driver Kyle Marcelli as he’s found himself in a different time zone for each of the last four-weeks. Co-Driving alongside of Hollywood’s Tomy Drissi, the duo raced to victory in the inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix. Shortly thereafter, Marcelli was back in the seat with Miami’s Chapman Ducote as the two crossed the Atlantic to London, England where they looked to back up their Italian win. This time they earned a 3rd place in the European Le Mans Series 6-hours of Silverstone. With less than 48-hours to wash the champagne out of their driving suits, the pair were back in the seat together for what was this past weekends penultimate round, The ModSpace American Le Mans Monterey Presented by Patron.

It was 21-year old Kyle Marcelli who once again drove the #89 Intersport Racing to earn his second pole position in the American Le Mans Series for 2011, beating out Core Autosport’s Gunnar Jeanette for the pole position in qualifying at the famed Laguna Seca.

With beautiful California conditions above, teams and drivers were prepared for the grueling 6-hours of Laguna Seca. “This is one of the most demanding race tracks we go to on the American Le Mans Series schedule. It’s a true race of attrition.” Said Kyle Marcelli. For the Intersport Racing #89 LMPC entry, it was the brother duo of David and Chapman Ducote along with Kyle Marcelli that would share the driving duties.

The initial team race strategy was a simple 2,2,2 meaning each driver would be in the car for a double stint before the next driver would take over the wheel. A team decision was made that David Ducote would start the race. Inheriting a 1st place starting position thanks to teammate Kyle Marcelli, David took the green flag for the start of what was not a 6-hour endurance race but a 6-hour all out sprint race. Just about one hour had passed in the race before David encountered problems with his shoulder, something he’s had issues with before. Falling back in the running order, the team opted to get Marcelli in for an unscheduled stint to make up for some lost ground. Marcelli did just that. Setting what was at the time the fast last of the race, Marcelli pushed hard to get the car back onto the lead lap and eventually leading the race. For Marcelli, what started out one hour “catch-up” stint, soon turned into a monster three hour shift behind the wheel of the #89 Intersport Racing LMPC. With 2-hours remaining, Marcelli had gapped almost a half a lap lead over second place. The team then utilized a full course caution to get Miami’s Chapman Ducote behind the wheel.

“I felt like I just wrestled a 700lbs grizzly bear, Said Marcelli after his triple stint. Laguna Seca is a circuit where you’re always busy; there is no time to rest and no real straights to relax. More importantly, you can’t make mistakes around this place or you will end up in a gravel trap. Thankfully a full-course caution allowed us to pit-stop for fuel, tires and a driver change.” Said Kyle Marcelli

As the sun began to set, cool temperatures arrived. However, this didn’t hold any of the drivers back. Chapman Ducote was behind the wheel and working hard. Unluckily, contact with a GT car slowed Ducote’s pace as damage to the rear diffusor on the #89 Intersport Racing entry caused a loss of rear down force. Holding 3rd place in class and a late race charge from Core Autosports Andy Wallace, Intersport Racing chose to get Marcelli back in the seat for the last one hour to defend the 3rd place. After utilizing his time out of the car to hydrate, Marcelli was able to comfortably get back in to the car and find the speed necessary to keep the car ahead of Wallace and on the podium. For Kyle Marcelli and Chapman Ducote this marked two international podium finishes in only 6 days.

Next on the schedule is the American Le Mans Series finale at Road Atlanta September 28th – October 1st – The Petit Le Mans, a 10 hour/1,000km sprint race. You can watch live qualifying coverage on Friday, September 30th at 2:35pm EST and live race coverage Saturday, October 1st at 11:25am EST on ESPN3.com. Otherwise, you can tune into ABC on Sunday, October 2nd at 4:00pm EST.

Kyle would personally like to thank his corporate partners: Lafarge (Turbo Plus), DynaPep Energy (7/11), Barrie Trim & Mouldings, Simcoe Building Centre, Thermo Seal Insulation Systems, Braille Battery, Merchant Services Ltd, Sailun Tire, Spherion Staffing Solutions, 104.1 The Dock, Leaf Racewear and Intersport Racing.

For more information visit: www.kylemarcelliracing.com OR “LIKE” him in Facebook.

NCATS on TSN: Riverside Komatsu 300 begins airing on Saturday

 

Great Crate Race Ends in Disappointment for Fowl Mood Racing; Brighton Speedway Season Finale Coming up Next

By Craig Revelle - Finish Line Web Design

The biggest race of the 2011 season for the Late Model division in this area took place this past Saturday night at Brighton Speedway. The Great Crate Race has been in the planning stages for nearly a year with $5000 up for grabs for the race winner, and a total combined purse worth more then $20000. Fowl Mood Racing fielded two cars for this event, with regular driver Phil Potts and a second car driven by Brighton Speedway veteran Ron Wadforth.

The night started out well for both Potts and Wadforth, as they qualified through the qualifying heats with Potts finishing second in his race, and Wadforth finishing third in his qualifier. In the 65 lap main event, the Fowl Mood Racing cars lined up in 5^th with Wadforth and 7^th with Potts. At the drop of the green flag, Potts had the faster car, and moved up through the field. Several caution periods slowed the pace early on, but under green conditions, Potts had a strong enough car to drive to the lead and held it briefly in the first part of the race. As the race approached halfway, Potts was running third, and Wadforth was also running in the top ten. The second half of the race didn’t fair so well for Potts, as contact on the track on a restart tore up the right front bumper on the car, and when the race resumed, it dug into the track causing him to spin, and landing in the creek that separates the backstretch from the pit area. After several minutes, the track crew was able to get the Potts machine back on the track, and he was able to continue for the restart. Unfortunately, there was enough damage on the car that Potts had to make a visit to the pits, and in the process lost a couple laps. Potts ended up 16^th. Wadforth ran a great race, and finished with a very respectable seventh place.

“We had a great run going, and were in the top five pretty much all race long”, says Potts. “The bumper dug into the track, and we were just along for the ride after that. We were fortunate that there wasn’t even more damage done to that car after spinning over the bridge and into the creek”.

This coming week, Potts will be back at Brighton Speedway to finish out the 2011 season at the hometown track. From there, the rest of the season schedule is still up in the air, but the team hopes to attend the final Go Nuclear Late Model Challenge Series race at Fulton Speedway on September 30^th, and the World of Outlaw Late Model race at Rolling Wheels on Thursday, October 6^th.

Fowl Mood Racing would not be possible without the support of our sponsors. We would like to thank Hutchinson Fuels, Indewey Excavating, Vanderlaan Building Supplies, Bill’s Johns and Lange & Fetter for all their support, and we look forward to a very exciting 2011 season.

For more information on Phil Potts and the Fowl Mood Racing team, please visit our website, www.fowlmoodracing.com.

Eversley Brings C360R Home Second in Grand-Am Championship

(Lexington, OH) -- Ryan Eversley always knew it would be an uphill battle to help bring Compass360 Racing (C360R) a third straight Grand-Am championship, but the affable Georgian put up a valiant fight all season long, right down until the final laps of the Continental Tires Sports Car Championship season finale at the Mid-Ohio sports car course.

Entering the race just three points behind series' leader Nic Jonsson in his #10 Kia Forte Koup and a mere six points ahead of Sarah Cattaneo and Owen Trinkler in their #198 Mini Cooper S, the fierce fight at the front of the Street Tuner class came down to a showdown in Ohio.

Pairing Eversley with Rolex regular and former Grand-Am champion Craig Stanton in the #75 Children's Tumor Foundation Honda Civic Si, C360R pulled out all the stops in the hopes of repeating their championship victories in 2009 and 2010.

"We really did all we could today, and it was a real treat to drive with Craig," said Eversley. "It's been an odd year, especially given that our Honda has been at a performance disadvantage since the opening race at Daytona. We just kept plugging away and trying to score when the other guys had mechanical problems, but I think today showed that some of the other cars still have a little more get-up-and-go than our Civics did."

Stanton qualified 12th, demonstrating the disparity between the Honda and some of the other platforms. "You'd expect a pro driver of Craig's experience and ability to be further up the field, especially against some of the gentlemen drivers that were ahead of him," noted Team Principal Karl Thomson. "But that's the hand we were dealt this year."

From the start Stanton managed to make up a few places, and handed #75 over to Eversley during the second caution of the race just after the 30-minute mark. Most of the other front-runners took a similar early-stop strategy, which assumed the race would feature a multitude of yellow-flag periods. The C360R squad did their usual speedy stop, moving Ryan right into the thick of all the championship contenders who had qualified further up the field. And from there it was game-on, resulting in a two-hour sprint to the finish.

"The Kia and the Mini were much faster on the straights, but our Civic had really good race pace," explained Eversley. We were hoping for long runs where they might burn off their tires, but there were quite a few yellow flags during the mid-part of the race." Towards the end, though, there was an extended green flag period, and Eversley made his way up to fifth. Unfortunately, contact with a Mazda3 that was not in the championship race dropped him to 15th. As Ryan clawed his way back up through the field, the #198 retired with mechanical trouble.

So while the threat from behind was reduced, the Kia had made it to second place, with Eversley in tenth. With a few laps to go the Kia started to drop back, but took the checkered flag in seventh position. Kia had won their first ST championship, with C360R coming home second, for the third time since 2007.

"I'm so proud of our team today," said Thomson. "Ryan put in the performance of his life and our crew did everything they could to make it three in a row. The Kia was stronger than us today, so congratulations to Nic and Michael (Galati) on a great year."

Meanwhile, it was a rather forgettable race for David Thilenius and Zach Lutz, who were in the top ten looking to move forward when contact with a competitor broke the steering rack, forcing their #74 JC Concrete Honda Civic Si to retire. "It's been one of those seasons," remarked Lutz. " We had a lot of bad luck and some racing incidents that put us out of a number of races, but that's the way it goes sometimes." Thilenius was philosophical, reflecting on the hardship of this season compared to the high of winning the championship in 2010: "It was just not my year."

Similarly, the team's #77 Dr. Kimberly Henry/Speed Secrets had a frustrating day with clutch failure putting Andrew Novich and Bryan Ortiz (in his first race with the team) out of contention. "I had a great season with the team, learned a lot and had a few good finishes including fourth at Daytona," noted Novich. "I'm looking forward to next year."

Eversley's second place finish means that C360R has finished first or second in the championship five years in a row. "That's a pretty remarkable achievement, and a testament to our Technical Director Ray Lee and our amazing crew," enthused Thomson. "We'll be back next year with a couple of our new 2012 Honda Civics, which should be just the thing we need for a third championship!"

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. For details and to donate visit http://racing4research.org

Belyea Finishes Second in Great Crate Race at Brighton Speedway; Seeks First Career Championship at Brighton This Weekend

By Craig Revelle - Finish Line Web Design

The Great Crate Race at Brighton Speedway was the most anticipated race of the season for Greg Belyea and his Excel Tower Service Racing team. The $5000 to win event that had a purse of more then $20000 was set for this past weekend, and Belyea was looking to take home the top prize in the race that he and Brighton Speedway had put together towards the end of last year.

Belyea finished his qualifying heat in fifth place, and lined up for the 65 lap main event from deep in the field, on the outside of the seventh row in 14^th place. Despite several cautions, Belyea was able to move up through the field and by lap 15 he was into the top five. The marathon race, which was slowed up by several caution periods and two red flags continued, and Belyea continued to run a strong race and by the halfway point he was up to second. Belyea challenged the race leader on a late race restart, but an untimely caution before the lap had been complete put him back to second, and that is where he finished.

“It was a good run for us, but a real tough race to get a rhythm going with all the cautions”, says Belyea. “I was trying everything I had to get by Lee (Gill), but he just has too much experience in these Late Models”.

This coming weekend is the annual Applefest Weekend at Brighton, and Belyea is hoping to lay claim to his first ever track championship. He currently holds a commanding 155 point lead going into the final race of the season for the Late Models on Saturday night. In addition, Belyea, and Excel Tower Service along with Brighton Speedway have just recently announced a Late Model dash for cash of the Friday portion of Applefest Weekend with the winner receiving $500.

“We have never put our selves in a position to win a championship before in all the years that we have been racing”, says Belyea. “With the business, and being so busy all the time, we just have not had the chance to run anywhere for a full season and battle for a championship until this season”.

After this weekend, Belyea hopes to race at Fulton Speedway for the final race of the Go Nuclear Late Model Challenge on September 30^th, and will have the open motor in the car at Rolling Wheels Raceway on October 6^th with the World of Outlaw Late Models. The final two events of the season will depend on time and work commitments.

“It has been a great season, we have had a lot of fun, and have met some great people. We have had some wins, and maybe a track championship”, says Belyea. I have to thank everyone that has helped us and supported us through the year and we look forward to the remaining events this year and coming back strong in 2012”.

For more information on Greg Belyea and the Excel Tower Service racing team, please visit our website, www.exceltowerracing.com.

Matt Billings Gets 12th Place Finish in Mr. DIRTcar Series Event at MIR

By Craig Revelle - Finish Line Web Design

After a weekend filled with the highs of winning back to back features, and another that ended with a pair of early race wrecks, including a flip at Can Am in a Sprint Car, Matt Billings and his team were looking to get back on track this weekend with a DIRTcar Series race at Mohawk International Raceway in Hogansburg, New York.

Billings was a regular at Mohawk Raceway in the second half of the season, and hoped that the extra experience would pay off during the series race. A strong field of 37 Small Block Modifieds were on hand, and was looking to improve on his eighth place in the Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified point standings. Billings was sixth fastest in his time trial group, and started his qualifying heat from fifth place. Billings needed to get a top five finish to lock himself into the 75 lap main event, but also wanted to get into the top three to get into the redraw for one of the top 12 starting spots. Billings finished his heat in fourth place, missing the redraw, and would start the 100 lap feature from 13^th place. The dry slick track conditions made it tough, on all competitors, and by lap 15 he had slipped back to 17^th. When the first and only caution of the race came on lap 25, Billings was still deep in the field. At halfway, now running in 15^th, Billings continued to struggle with the slick conditions, but managed to climb to 12^th place at the checkered flag.

“It was tough racing out there tonight. The real slick conditions made the track almost like a skating rink out there”, says Billings after the race. “We raced here a bit during the season, and never seen the track with these conditions, so it was tough to get a handle on it”. With the 12^th place finish, Billings moved up one spot to seventh in series points.

This coming weekend, Billings will be back at Cornwall Speedway on Sunday for another Mr. DIRTcar Series event that was postponed back on September 4^th. On that night, Billings set fast time in time trials, and was set to start his qualifying heat from the front row, and he will carry on from there this Sunday afternoon. Once Cornwall is done, the Billings Motorsports team will finish preparing the Syracuse car, and will get their primary car ready for a busy few days of racing. On Wednesday, October 5^th they will race at Cayuga County Fair Speedway and October 6^th at Rolling Wheels Raceway. Both races are part of the Mr. DIRTcar Series. On Friday and Saturday, October 7^th and 8^th, Billings will be at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse. They will have a Syracuse prepared car, and will run heat races under the lights on Friday, October 7^th, and will run the Nationwide Insurance 150 on Saturday, October 8^th. The 2011 season will come to an end the following week at Brockville with the final Mr. DIRTcar Series race of 2011 on Saturday, October 15^th.

Matt Billings is a proud supporter of the Heart and Stroke Foundation, taking part in a fundraiser earlier this year. He also participated in a fundraiser for Alzheimer’s Society of Canada. For more information on the Heart and Stroke Foundation, please visit www.heartandstroke.ca or for the Alzheimer’s Society, please visit www.alzheimer.ca.

Billings Motorsports would like to thank all of their sponsors for their continued support. Billings Automotive, Carquest, Stealth Racewear, Pastime Motors, Hansler Smith Limited, Enders Racing Engines, Brockville Physiotherapy, Babe Design, Finish Line Web Design, and Enders Racing are an integral part of the team’s success, and we thank you all for your support this season.

Stop by the Billings Motorsports trailer at the track and pick up your Billings Motorsports t-shirts and hoodies. T-shirts are being sold for $20 and hoodies are on sale for $35.

For more information on Matt Billings and the Billings Racing Team, please visit our website, www.mattbillings74.com.

Ladouceur’s Night Ends in Disappointment at Autodrome Granby; Rebounds With Top Five Finish in Mr. DIRTcar Race at Mohawk Raceway

By Craig Revelle - Finish Line Web Design

The 2011 racing season has been an exciting season for Joey Ladouceur and his Alexandria, Ontario based DIRTcar Pro Stock team. They had collected 11 wins in just 19 starts this season and has laid claim to the 2011 Bailey Motor Company Pro Stock Championship, Cornwall Speedway Championship, and is on the verge of winning the Mohawk Racing Parts Pro Stock Championship. The biggest of them all however, is the Mr. DIRTcar Pro Stock Championship, and Ladouceur is looking to capture that title for the first time since 2004.

The Mr. DIRTcar Pro Stock tour resumed this past weekend with a pair of events. First up was the rescheduled race at Autodrome Granby on Friday night, and then back to Mohawk International Raceway on Saturday night.

At Granby, the night started out well for Ladouceur turning the second fastest time in time trials. Ladouceur made the redraw for starting position in the main event, where he started from inside of the fifth row in ninth. It was clear right from the drop of the green flag that Ladouceur had the fastest car on the track, and by lap 18 he took the lead and had built up a sizeable advantage on the field. While running in the lead, the rough track conditions on the night caused a mechanical failure for Ladouceur, and he was unable to finish the race.

“The rough track conditions caused one of the idler arm bolts to break, which made the centerlink knock the fitting off the fuel pump, and that was the end of our night”, says Ladouceur. “Hopefully we can have a good finish tomorrow night and get back on track in the final few races of the year”.

On Saturday night, the Mr. DIRTcar Pro Stock Series traveled to Mohawk International Raceway. In the 50 lap main event, Ladouceur battled back from and early race pit stop to get back up to fifth place at the checkered flag.

After the weekend events, Ladouceur now sits second in the Mr. DIRTcar Pro Stock point standings, just 39 points out of the lead. The next race on the Series will be at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse on Sunday, October 9^th before ending the season at Brockville Speedway on Friday, October 14^th.

This coming weekend, Ladouceur will finish up the season at Cornwall for their rescheduled Mohawk Racing Parts Series finale on Sunday afternoon. Ladouceur has won all four events of the series so far, and will clinch the championship at the drop of the green flag to start the 50 lap feature.

Ladouceur and the team also have t-shirts for sale. Stop by the team hauler at the track and pick up yours today. T-shirt prices are just $20, and are available in size small to 2XL. Shirts are available in white and black, and can also be purchased by emailing Joey at ladouceur32@hotmail.com.

Joey Ladouceur would like to thank all of the sponsors that have come on board for the 2011-racing season. Coffrage 20-20/Pompage 20-20, Fence Depot, Minimax Express, Glengarry Truck Centre, Au Vieux Duluth, Stinger X Chassis and Finish Line Web Design are all an integral part of the Ladouceur team and they look forward to sharing their success with all of you.

For more information on Joey Ladouceur, please check out our website, www.joey92.com.

Whitteker Gets 11th Place Finish At Mohawk Raceway’s 358 Modified Series Event; 18th Run at MIR Against the Big Blocks

By Craig Revelle - Finish Line Web Design

Just like last weekend Luke Whitteker had a full weekend of racing, running in both the Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified series where he entered the night in 10^th in Series points, and also entered the Big Block Modified Super DIRTcar Series. The venue this time was immaculate Mohawk International Raceway in Hogansburg, New York located just across the border from Cornwall, Ontario.

On Friday night, Whitteker was looking for a solid run to move up in the standings in the Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series. He began the night with a third place run in time trials, giving him the third starting spot for his qualifying heat race. Whitteker finished the heat race in third place, making the all important redraw for a top 12 starting spot in the evening’s 75 lap main event. Whitteker drew the 5^th position, and lined up inside of row three for the feature. The dry and slick track conditions played havoc for Whitteker and his fellow competitors when the first and only caution of the race came out on lap 25, Whitteker slid back to 11^th place. Whitteker ended the race in 11^th place and moved from tenth to eighth in series points.

The Big Block Modifieds took center stage at Mohawk International Raceway on Saturday night, and Whitteker once again qualified through the heat race. In the 100 lap main event, Whitteker would go on to finish in 18^th place.

This coming weekend, Whitteker will be back at Cornwall Speedway for the final time this season as they host the rescheduled Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series event held over from September 4^th. Following that, preperation will begin for Super DIRT Week and events at Cayuga County Fair Speedway on Wednesday, October 5^th, Rolling Wheels Raceway on October 6^th and New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse on October 8^th. The 2011 season will come to an end at Brockville Speedway on Saturday, October 15^th.

Once the DIRTcar racing season is over, Whitteker will finish out the year with the Race 101 program. He will travel to North Carolina in November to test a pavement Late Model car at Hickory Speedway, and graduate from the Race 101 program at the end of 2011.

Whitteker Motorsports have recently had t-shirts and can cozies made, and they can be purchased at the team trailer at the track. The t-shirts are $25 and the cozies are just $3. The proceeds of the merchandise sales are being donated to the CHEO Foundation in Ottawa for sick kids, and to date, Whitteker has donated $850 to the organization.

Whitteker Motorsports would like to thank all of their sponsors for the support as they go into a brand new season. Their Sponsors include Rust Check, Coldwell Banker, Steve Summers Coburn Realty, Jim’s Performance Plus, Parcoll Products/Napa Auto Parts, Quaker State, Riverside Pontiac, Toy Storage, Wells and Son Construction, 730 Truck Stop, Lloyd McMillan Equipment Ltd., ERD Engine Research and Development, and Finish Line Web Design.

To stay up to date on Luke Whitteker and the Whitteker Motorsports team, please visit our website, www.lukewhitteker.com or follow us through Facebook at www.facebook.com/whittekermotorsports or through Twitter at www.twitter.com/lukewhitteker.

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Huge Schedule on Tap at Brighton Speedway for Applefest

BRIGHTON, ON – Closing out an already huge month of September that included The Labour Day Classic Double header of Sprint Cars, School Bus Races on September 10th and the first ever Great Crate Race last weekend Brighton Speedway looks to close out its weekly racing schedule this weekend with the 7th annual Applefest Shootout!  The event has grown so much over the past 7 years, Brighton Speedway and its fans are anxiously awaiting the return of the DIRTcar Sportsman and the mighty DIRTcar 358 Modifieds to the 1/3 mile clay oval in central Ontario.

Smylie’s Independent Grocers’ will present the DIRTcar Sportsman Super DIRTcar Series event where the best names in the Sportsman Series will be here Friday September 23rd.This is the first time in Speedway history it has ever held a Super DIRTcar Series event of any kind.  The DIRTcar Sportsman did make an appearance at the Speedway one other time this season when New York driver Sammy Reakes made an amazing run from his 14th starting spot to pass the 2010 Applefest winner and Brockville native Chris Herbison for his first win at Brighton Speedway.  Both Reakes and Herbison are expected to be in attendance for this Series race that could see as many as 30 plus cars in attendance.  Joining the DIRTcar Sportsman will be the return of NYDCA and TUSA Mod-Lites who made their first appearance in 2010 at Applefest.  Friday night will also feature with the Eastern Ontario Vintage Stock Car Club, the Brighton Automotive Pro Stocks, Bill’s Johns Comp 4 and the Quinte Towing Stingers.

Saturday will mark the return of the Belleville Goodyear Auto Service 358 DIRT Modified Shootout presented by ImageFactor.ca. The mighty 358 Modifieds will return for a scheduled 50 laps, $2,000.00 to win event that even with gloomy skies in 2010 drew a record field of 27 cars.  Unfortunately due to recent back surgery “Mr Smallblock” Pete Bicknell the reigning champion is unable to attend this year’s event.  That however opens up the door for a new winner such as “The Pocket Rocket” Danny O’Brien, “Mighty” Matt Williamson, Tim O’Brien, inaugural Applefest winner Kyle “the Inferno” Dingwall, local favourite and 358 rookie Adam Turner and more are expected make their way to the racy Brighton oval!

The DIRTcar 358’s will be complimented on Saturday Night with the Brighton Speedway / Merrittville Speedway Duel in the Dirt $1,000.00 to win race for Street Stocks.  This 50 lap event pits the best Brighton drivers against the best Street Stock drivers from western Ontario.  DIRTcar Pro Late Models and Canadian Modifieds will also be on the racing card while the NYCDA and TUSA Mod-Lites will also return for their second night in a row for what should be an action packed night at Brighton.

“We are excited to have so many different types of racing taking place right here at Brighton Speedway for Applefest” states track promoter Mark Rinaldi. “We look forward to drawing a lot of out of town drivers and fans to the Brighton area for what is already a huge weekend for the town.” 

The weekend is guaranteed to be filled with non-stop racing action with a jam packed schedule. As such, the Saturday night start time has been bumped up to 6pm.

Be sure to join us this weekend for the 7th Annual 358 DIRT Modified Applefest Shootout presented by Goodyear Automotive in Belleville.   The action starts on Friday night when the DIRTcar Sportsman hit the track for a Super DIRTcar Series event along with Mod Lites, Vintage Modifieds, Brighton Automotive Pro Stocks, Bills John's Comp 4 and Quinte Towing Stingers.  Saturday marks the return of the mighty 358 DIRTcar Modifieds!  Also racing Saturday is Round 2 of the Mod Lites, the final round of the Brighton Speedway / Merrittville Speedway Duel in the Dirt for Pro Stocks, the Late Models and the Canadian Modifieds.  Friday night gates open at 6:00 and racing starts at 7:30 pm.

From Brighton Speedway

Danny O’Brien Continues to Lead the Way in Mr. DIRTcar Series Points Despite Tough Night at Mohawk International Raceway

By Craig Revelle - Finish Line Web Design

Danny O’Brien carried a 24-point lead going into the next round of the Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified Series that was held at Mohawk International Raceway this past Friday night, and was looking for another solid finish to boost his chances of winning the 2011 Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified championship.

O’Brien has had prior success at Mohawk Raceway this season, winning just one month ago, and hoped that they could build on that racing in the DIRTcar Series. The night started out well, as he won his qualifying heat, and locking himself into one of the top 12 starting spots for the main event. As luck would have it, or lack-there-of, O’Brien drew the 12^th starting spot, and started the 75 lap race from outside of the sixth row. Track conditions were less then ideal for O’Brien, as he struggled for much of the race. At the checkered flag, O’Brien finished in 13^th place.

“It was tough going out there tonight. The track was really dry and slick, and it was just tough to pass”, says O’Brien after the race. “Hopefully we can have a good run in the next series race and the rest of the season”.

On Saturday night, O’Brien will race at Brighton Speedway for their Applefest Shootout for the 358 Modifieds. On Sunday, he will be at Cornwall for the rescheduled Mr. DIRTcar 358 Series race held over from September 4^th. After that, O’Brien will have a couple of weeks to prepare for Super DIRT Week, with Mr. DIRTcar Series events at Cayuga County on Wednesday, October 5^th, Rolling Wheels Raceway on Thursday, October 6^th and the New York State Fairgrounds on Friday and Saturday, October 7^th and 8^th. The 2011 Mr. DIRTcar 358 Modified champion will be crowned at Brockville Speedway on Saturday, October 15^th.

O’Brien is currently seeking sponsorship for their Syracuse run this season. If you would like to see your business on a championship-winning car, talk to Danny O’Brien and find out how you can be part of our winning team. Super DIRT Week is less then a month away, so contact us now for details. You can reach Danny through email at dannyobrien17@hotmail.com.

Danny O’Brien and Kendrick Racing would like to thank 1000 Islands RV Centre, Pat’s Rad, Stover Bus Lines, BOB FM, Ponte Bros. Masonry, Morrison Racing Engines, Bicknell Racing Products, and Integra Racing Shocks for their support during the 2011 racing season.

For more information on Danny O’Brien and the 17D racing team, please visit our website, www.dannyobrien.ca

Formula 2000: A Decisive Victory for Rémy Audette

Lime Rock (Connecticut), September 18, 2011.– Quebec driver Rémy Audette earned yet another F2000 Championship Series victory this weekend.  Winner of the first of two races on the Lime Rock circuit in Connecticut, he finished second in the following race, practically assuring him the 2011 championship title.

« We dominated all weekend.  We started off well on Friday with the best time during the practice sessions.  In the qualifiers, I set a record early in the session that determined the starting grid.  After that, I entered the pits to wait for my competitors’ times.  Had they beat my time, I would’ve gone back out but that wasn’t necessary.  In the second qualifiers, the team asked me to set a good time at the start so I pushed to the max to beat the track record again, which assured us a second consecutive pole position » explains a smiling Rémy Audette, very pleased with his fantastic double performance.

Both races were scheduled for Saturday.  At the start of the first race, Rémy was hit from behind but that didn’t prevent him from taking the lead and claiming an indisputable victory, fourteen seconds ahead of second place. « I was worried for a moment because I felt my car lift up and I wondered what had happened. In my rear-view mirror, I saw that there was contact between several cars behind me and one of the cars hit my rear left wheel » he explains, before adding : « but there were no negative effects of this, the Dimensions Doors/Novatech Van Diemen is solid and I was able to manage my race up until the very end ».

The second round saw Rémy Audette take the lead once again before relinquishing top spot to American Chris Livengood a few laps before the finish. « I had old tires and with his two new tires, his car was just faster than mine towards the end of the race.  I wasn’t too concerned about it because for me, second place points are enough for the championship » explains the Audette Racing driver.

This second place finish allows Rémy to increase his lead to 88 points over his closest competitor. Mathematically, Audette is not yet champion but all he needs to do is start the next race at Watkins Glen on October 15th to clinch the 2011 title. « Out team has accomplished something textbook this weekend at Lime Rock. Things worked really well from start to finish and with a win and a second place, we solidified our title chances.  There won’t be any pressure on our shoulders at Watkins Glen in one month » concluded Rémy Audette.

North American Formula 2000 is the Audette Racing Team’s primary goal for this year, with Rémy Audette behind the wheel.  Mathieu Audette also contested select rounds of the Canadian Touring Car Championship during the summer with his Acura RSX Type-S, earning one victory and three podiums.

The Audette Racing Team benefits form the support of Dimensions Doors, Novatech, Acura Plus Blainville, Les Extrusions du Nord, Verre Select, Jeld Wen, OPM, Amusements Spectaculaire, Les Moulures PFJV, Gulf, Blueprint Racing, Mec-Inov and Omnitech.

INDYCAR: Dixon wins in Japan

MOTEGI, Japan - (Sunday, Sept. 18, 2012) - Scott Dixon held off Will Power -- the new championship front-runner and repeat Mario Andretti Road Trophy titlist - on a restart with two laps left to win the Indy Japan and remain a factor in the IZOD IndyCar Series title chase.

Power's 11th top-five finish of the season bumped his point total to 542, which is 11 points ahead of Dario Franchitti, who finished eighth. Dixon is 59 points out of first heading into the final two races -- both on 1.5-mile ovals.

"It was a good day for us points-wise in the championship, but I'm really not worried about points right now," said Power, who clinched the Mario Andretti Road Trophy for the top points producer on the 10 road/street courses. "I just need to keep finishing in front of the 10 car (Franchitti) the rest of the way and we'll be fine. We'll keep chipping away like we have been."

The championship chase turned on a Lap 26 restart when Franchitti, who carried a five-point leader over Power into the 63-lap race on the 2.983-mile road course, swung to the right and made contact with the right-rear of the No. 6 Guidepoint Systems Team Penske car driven by Ryan Briscoe entering Turn 1.

Race Control levied an avoidable contact penalty on the reigning series champion, which sent him to the rear of the field (25th).

"It was a stupid move on my part," said Franchitti, who also started ninth. "I did a lot hard work to get from ninth to fifth, and I'd been saving fuel the whole first stint. I thought there was a gap and Ryan was going wide on the entry and that was that. It was just a stupid move and we had a great fight back. We'll shrug this one off, move forward and see if we can do better next (race)."

Dixon, who won by 3.4 seconds, picked up his 27th Indy car victory, breaking a tie with Rodger Ward and tying Johnny Rutherford for 11th on the all-time list. He has the distinction of winning on the 1.5-mile oval and now the 2.983-mile road course.

"I have to give a lot of credit to Team Target; they gave me a fantastic car. In some sections of the race I was just cruising trying to save fuel," he said. "Great pit stops and fuel strategy, and everything was flawless."

Marco Andretti finished third in the No. 26 Team Venom Energy car -- his best road/street course placing of the season -- and Alex Tagliani advanced 11 spots relative to his starting position to finish fourth in the No. 77 Bowers & Wilkins/Sam Schmidt Motorsports car. Oriol Servia also made a major move -- from 16th to fifth in the No. 2 Telemundo Newman/Haas Racing car.

From IndyCar