Gentlemen.... START.... YOUR.... BLUFFING!!!!

TSN is running a story from AP saying that F1 won't be returning to Indy in 2008. These announcements seem to start about this time every year, and involve a handful venues who are either threatening or being threatened by F1 for various reasons.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Formula One's U.S. Grand Prix won't return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway next year.
The race will not be held in 2008 after eight years at the track, spokesman Ron Green said Thursday. He declined to give other details, but said speedway CEO Tony George would speak later in the day. George had set Thursday as the deadline for reaching an agreement to extend the contract with F1. Last month, Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone talked about taking the race elsewhere if he couldn't work out a long term deal with the Speedway.

Continued at the link above...

RIVERSIDE SPEEDWAY: NASCAR's REGAN SMITH TO COMPETE IN IWK 250 .. 2nd NASCAR driver in the works

JAMES RIVER, NS (July 11, 2007) - NASCAR Nextel Cup driver Regan Smith will race in the July 21 IWK 250 at Riverside International Speedway. Smith's appearance was confirmed today for the event that is expected to be a highlight on the 2007 maritime stock car racing calendar.

Smith, who co-drives the No. 01 U.S. Army Chevrolet with NASCAR veteran Mark Martin for Ginn Racing, will arrive in Nova Scotia next Friday July 20 in time to participate in the afternoon practice session for the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) sanctioned event. Smith will drive a car out of the Nova Construction stable, which also fields cars for Antigonish's Donald Chisholm and New Glasgow's George Koszkulics.

Smith is literally experiencing a dream season this year as shares the drivers seat with Martin, his racing idol, who has strong words of praise for his 23-year-old protege.

"Regan and I are on the same page," said Martin this past February. "He's eager and wants to learn. But at the same time, he knows that patience is vital in enjoying future success. I am really looking forward to being his Army teammate and helping launch his career. This is an exciting time for the both of us."

His visit to Nova Scotia for the IWK 250 will be on the heels of this coming Saturday's NASCAR Busch Series race at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, IL. Between Nextel Cup rides, Smith
is competing on a limited schedule in NASCAR's Busch Series, sharing driving duties with Kraig Kinser.

Smith has been preparing for his rookie season in the NASCAR’s elite divisions since he was first strapped into a go-kart at the age of four in his hometown of Cato, N.Y., located 25 miles west of Syracuse.

Smith's rise to the Nextel Cup Series started to take shape well before he reached his teenage years by winning divisional, regional and state championships in a quarter-midget type car (a microd) in the Syracuse area and throughout New York State.

As a 12-year-old in 1995 Smith competed in the World Karting Association and once again enjoyed success by winning poles, races and championships in a variety of divisions.

He won the WKA Grand National championship in 1996 and the WKA Manufacturer Cup in 1997. He also captured the Canadian Grand National karting championship in 1998.

He later raced in the Allison Legacy Series and the USAR Hooters ProCup Series where he set a record four poles in the 2001 season.

Smith won the 2001 Allison Legacy Series championship along with taking Rookie of the Year honours in the same year.

From 2003-2005, he drove in a number of Craftsman Truck and Busch Series races before being selected to drive a full-time Busch schedule in 2006 for Team Rensi Motorsports.

The IWK 250 Presented by Steve Lewis Auto Body and DuPont Refinish is set for July 21 at Riverside International Speedway. The event is essentially a one-day show with qualifying and feature races for the pro stocks, sportsman and Atlantic Open Wheel competitors on Saturday starting at 5 p.m.. There will be a practice session at the track Friday afternoon and promotional events in the Antigonish area Friday evening.

Details are being finalized that should see a second NASCAR star compete in the IWK 250; watch for an announcement in the coming days.

Advance tickets for the IWK 250 are now available by contacting the track box office. A limited number of reserved seats remain as well as general admission seating. Credit card orders are welcome. Call 902.863.2410 or email the ticket order form available at this link - click here.

Riverside Speedway, 1/3-mile high banked asphalt oval, is located in James River, between New Glasgow and Antigonish, at exit 30 off Trans Canada Highway 104. Opened in 1969, the facility was totally rebuilt in 2006 to become a premiere motorsports site, comparable to the best short tracks in Canada and the U.S. The 2007 schedule sees three CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour events (June 9, August 4 and August 11), the Atlantic Dodge Dealers 300 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series event (September 15) and the IWK 250. For more information about Riverside Speedway, please visit www.riversidespeedway.ca or call 902.863.2410.

From Paul McLean (Riverside Speedway) // Distributed by Joan Roue

NASCAR BUSCH SERIES: Canadian John Graham to drive for Brewco in 10 events

Central City, KY (July 11, 2007) – Brewco Motorsports Inc. today announced a partnership with Fun Energy Foods Inc., a Canadian-based energy food manufacturer, which will serve as the primary sponsor for 10 NASCAR Busch Series races with Brewco during the 2007 season.

Fun Energy Foods will launch their North American NASCAR themed marketing campaign for Kickbutt Amped Energy Ballz in conjunction with the debut of the NASCAR Busch Series in Canada on Saturday, August 4, 2007 at the famed Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal.

Driving for Fun Energy Foods will be Canadian John Graham, who has an extensive background in sports car racing. With more than 170 professional starts in sports car competition, Graham has seven starts at the 24 Hours of Le Mans - including a class win in 2000 – nine starts at the 24 Hours of Daytona and 11 starts at the 12 Hours of Sebring. He has podium finishes at Le Mans, Daytona, Sebring, Petit Lemans, Sears Point, Mosport, Spa, Belgium, Fuji, Japan, and Adelaide, Australia. Graham also has stock car experience with four NASCAR Busch Series starts to his credit.

"It is a privilege to represent Fun Energy Foods and their Kickbutt brand, and to work with Brewco Motorsports,” Graham said. “I am looking forward to the challenges of the NASCAR Busch Series and thank the people who worked so hard to help me get here."

“We are excited to team with Brewco and John Graham for our entry into motorsports sponsorship,” said Paul Do, President of Fun Energy Foods, Inc. “We’re thrilled for the opportunity to introduce our products to race fans across the United States and to work with a championship organization like Brewco Motorsports, which has been successful in racing both on and off the track for many years.”

From Cathy Varga // Brewco Motorsports

NASCAR BUSCH SERIES: Carpentier to Compete in Two Races in Montreal

(ITMN NOTE: A little bird mentioned that Canadian NASCAR driver Pierre Bourque will also be racing in the Busch race in Montreal, in a second Fitz team car. Watch for confirmation of this news within weeks.)

MONTREAL - July 10, 2007 - Patrick Carpentier officially announced Tuesday at a press conference held in Montreal that he will compete in the inaugural NASCAR Series Busch race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on August 4, 2007.

Sitting next to his new sponsors on the podium, the Quebec-born driver made public his plans to race in front of his home crowd in the two major events held the first weekend of August. The media conference was designed to update the Canadian media on the support of major companies such as Zellers, Komatsu, Dodge Quebec Dealer Advertising Association and Cinemas Guzzo in his new foray in NASCAR.

A regular driver in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series, Carpentier was already scheduled to race in round 11 of the 2007 Daytona Prototype schedule, which will be held in Montreal on Friday August 3rd.

At the press conference, the French Canadian driver also revealed that he will drive the Fitz Motorsports Dodge in the NAPA Auto Parts 200 - Presented by Dodge. Based in Mooresville, North Carolina and owned by Armando Fitz, the team has been competing in the Busch Series since 2001 and is considered one of the leading independent teams in the division.

Addressing the media, Carpentier thanked all the sponsors and the intervening parties who relentlessly worked to make this Montreal race program come to term.

"Prior to the press conference, I personally thanked all the sponsors and everyone that worked so hard to make this come through," said Carpentier. "I am very happy to have the support of Zellers, a major retail store chain with locations across Canada, Federal Equipment and the Komatsu group, the Dodge Quebec Dealer Advertising Association and Cinemas Guzzo, a Montreal chain of theatres. Without their support, my dream of running in the NASCAR Busch Series would have never happened."

"I think running in both series on the same weekend will be a plus for me, even though the racing lines will not be quite the same in several turns. However, this advantage shouldn't last forever as my opponents are all talented professionals and they won't take too much time to figure out the track. The competition will be tough, but I do believe that I will be competitive and that the team and I will quickly adjust the car to my liking," concluded Carpentier.

Also addressing the media during the press conference were the sponsors involved in Carpentier's venture into NASCAR. They all expressed how proud they were to be associated with him.

"As the retailer that carries the largest assortment of NASCAR product in Canada, we are especially proud to be a part of Patrick's team for the inaugural NASCAR Busch Series race held in Canada," said Serge Coursol, the Regional Vice President for Zellers on behalf of Debbie Edwards, Senior Vice President of Marketing for HBC. "NASCAR is one of the fastest growing sports in North America, and Patrick Carpentier is a world class Canadian athlete that deserves to have a leading Canadian brand like Zellers supporting him."

Alain Ouellette, President and CEO of Federal Equipment, and representing the Komatsu dealers in Canada - Coneco Equipment and Transwest Mining, also spoke about Carpentier during his brief intervention with the media.

"We are proud to announce the association of Federal Equipment and the Komatsu group with the Patrick Carpentier and the Fitz Motorsports team in promoting Patrick's participation in the very first NASCAR race in Montreal. We believe that this milestone event will launch Patrick's long career on the NASCAR scene."

Patrick Dandurand, President, Dodge Quebec Dealer Advertising Association sees the sponsorship as a perfect opportunity to support a local talent and promote the Dodge brand.

"Dodge dealers are really excited to have the opportunity to support Patrick and share his passion for race car driving," said Dandurand. "Partnering with him this way ties the excitement of the event into the showroom experience for our customers."

Even NASCAR Busch Series director Joe Balash sent a word to Patrick Carpentier prior to the start of the press conference to welcome him to the series. "With the addition of Patrick to the race, it continues to add that hometown feel to the event. It also rounds out what will be a star-studded international field and should make this one of the most exciting NASCAR Busch Series road course events."

As for COO and Chief Operating Officer Vincenzo Guzzo, he was all fired up with the association between Cinemas Guzzo and Patrick Carpentier.

The NAPA Auto Parts 200 Presented by Dodge will be held on Saturday August 4, 2007, at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. The weekend of activities begins on Friday with the Grand-Am Rolex Series, and will feature a race from the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series.

From Max d'Orsonnens

NCATS: Doug Brown western swing preview

BRANTFORD, ON - Doug Brown and Haldex-sponsored Dodge slipped two spots in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series points’ standings as the result of his 17th-place finish at Barrie on Canada Day and that doesn’t sit well with the fierce stock car racing competitor.

“That’s the worst start to a season ever”, the puzzled racing veteran stated with a sigh of disbelief in reviewing the results todate.

In each of his three starts this season, bad luck and mechanical gremlins have haunted his performances in runs that should have resulted in top-ten or better finishes.

On opening day at Cayuga Speedway on May 26th, a late race accident and an ensuing electrical malfunction foiled a top-five run and resulted in a 14th-place finish. Two weeks later at the rolling 2.5-mile Mosport road course an intermittent fuel starvation problem robbed him of a top-ten run and he had to settle for another 14th-place result.

And in his last outing at Barrie, the crew worked hard on the Haldex Dodge to correct some early handling problems that saw him struggle in the early going then work his way up sixth place until a flat tire took him out of contention in the closing laps.

Heading west this week to events at the BC Dodge Dealers Dodge Avenger 300 in Vernon, BC and at the Grand Prix Edmonton, the generally composed competitor is determined to end his bad luck streak.

“We’ve got a lot of ground to make up and hopefully this two-week road trip will give us a chance to regroup and demonstrate we’re far better than the results todate imply,” Brown stated emphatically. “The road courses are always a challenge but we’ve had some strong runs in the two oval track events even though the results don’t show it. Vernon’s half-mile oval is a great track and we’re looking forward to showing some muscle there,” he added.

Brown also needs a solid run on the flat 1.973-mile Edmonton City Centre street course, the site of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series’ fifth race on July21st.

With nine races left in the 12-race schedule as they head west, the second-generation driver knows it will require a solid performance in each of those events to secure a top-ten spot in the standings – a position he targeted before the season began.

Only a handful of his generally well manned crew will be heading west but he isn’t overly concerned that will affect his chances for some solid runs.

“Some of our team members couldn’t afford to take two weeks away from their jobs or families so we’ll be working with the crews of other teams in a similar situation to complete this trek,” Brown revealed in discussing how they will fare manpower-wise in a sport that requires a strong team effort. In past trips of this magnitude, Brown and fellow series’ competitor DJ Kennington have pooled their team resources and that is the game plan for this year’s programs.

The Ontario-based teams in NASCAR Canadian Tire Series return home following the July 21st Edmonton event but they’ll be back on the road after a brief respite and heading East for a key event as part of the inaugural NASCAR Busch Series race sponsored by NAPA at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal on August 4th.

HB Motorsports is pleased to have Haldex Limited as its Title Sponsor with NAPA Autopro supporting team programs through its role of Major Associate Sponsor role. Bicknell Racing Products; World of Graphics; HurryPrint Imaging Centre; WIX Filters; KWIC Internet; Gates Canada; BOC Gases; Brochures etc; Leitch Performance Engines; Strodes BBQ & Deli; and BrentZone Graphics are also valued members of our Associate Sponsorship Marketing team.

Prepared by: Ken Spencer // Marketing and Media Relations // HB Motorsports

NCATS: MOPAR 300 from Barrie Speedway on TSN

Watch the MOPAR 300 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race from Barrie Speedway in Hi-Definition on TSN.

Premiere: Saturday, July 14 @ 1pm // Repeat 1: Monday, July 16 @ 00:00 (or Sunday at Midnight) // Repeat 2: Wednesday, July 18 @ 2pm

For those traveling out West please note that these times are in EASTERN STANDARD TIME.

EDWIN CONCERT TOPS THE LIST OF GREAT ENTERTAINMENT AT THE PARTS CANADA SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP AT MOSPORT

(BOWMANVILLE, ON – July 10, 2007) In addition to three days of Canada's finest motorcycle road racing, Mosport has an outstanding lineup of off-track attractions that will keep fans entertained all weekend long during the only Toronto-area stop of the series in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship Doubleheader Weekend, July 13, 14 & 15.

New for 2007 is the BMW Motorrad Summer Fest, a celebration of the two-wheeled lifestyle that will feature a live concert, stunt rider demonstrations, rider autograph sessions, motorcycle test rides and new product displays. Headlining Summer Fest is Canadian rock icon Edwin, formerly lead vocalist for the rock band I Mother Earth, who will be performing his greatest hits in a full-day concert series on Saturday July 14, along with special guests Duty Calls and Afternoon Zero.

Fans will have the opportunity to take in demonstrations of motorcycle mastery by the 2007 Freestyle World Champion stunt rider Christian Pfeiffer, who will be performing amazing tricks and maneuvers all weekend long. Pfeiffer and all of the BMW riders will also be available for 30 minute autograph sessions on Saturday and Sunday. Summer Fest will also feature a full display of 2007 BMW Motorcycles with opportunities for on and off-road test rides throughout the weekend.

For youngsters looking to learn how to ride in a safe and fun way, The Yamaha Riding Academy (YRA) will be on hand with a free riding clinic for kids aged 6 to 12. The YRA will teach participants the basic skills of off-road riding with a safe and fun approach to give kids the most positive experience out of each ride.


In the Manufacturers Demonstration Area, the latest and greatest bikes from Suzuki and Yamaha will be available for demonstration rides (a motorcycle license and full riding gear are required).

A three-day SuperTicket is just $50 until July 11 ($60 at the Gate) and each ticket includes parking, paddock admission, and entrance to Saturday Night Stock Car racing at Mosport Speedway. Children 12 and under are free when accompanied by a paid adult admission. Single day tickets are also available.

General and family camping areas are available, with full-service washrooms, showers and children's playgrounds. An advanced three-day weekend general camping pass is just $30 (for tents or pop-up trailers). RVs are $50 for the weekend.

For more information about Mosport ticket packages and camping, call the Mosport Hotline at 1-800-866-1072 (Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm ET) or visit online at http://www.mosport.com/. Tickets are also available at Ticketmaster.
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For Further Information: Lee Bailie, Mosport, 1-800-866-1072 or email lee@mosport.com

Pete Shepherd Kentucky NASCAR CTS and ARCA preview

Peter Shepherd returns to the seat of the No. 50 Northern Tool + Equipment Ford this weekend at Kentucky Speedway.

Shepherd will make his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start at Kentucky Speedway in Saturday night’s Built Ford Tough 225.

The No. 50 will once again carry the colors of Northern Tool + Equipment this weekend, in a reverse scheme of teammate Erik Darnell’s No. 99 Ford.

Shepherd will pull double duty this weekend, competing in both the ARCA RE/MAX Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races.

The No. 50 team is bringing chassis RK225-33 to Kentucky. This chassis last raced at Texas, where T.J. Bell started ninth and finished 23rd.

Shepherd recorded his best NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series finish at Memphis last week, coming home 15th.

PETER SHEPHERD ON KENTUCKY SPEEDWAY. . .
“I’ve never raced at Kentucky, but I’ve heard a lot of good things about it. Everyone seems to really like racing there. Getting to race in the ARCA RE/MAX Series race on Friday night should help our effort on Saturday night. We had a great race at Memphis last week, and we’d love to get another good finish at Kentucky.”

MATT PUCCIA ON KENTUCKY SPEEDWAY. . .
“Peter’s never raced at Kentucky before, but having him in both the truck and ARCA car this weekend will be great. Kentucky is a driver’s track, it’s got multiple grooves. We’ll do what we can to get Peter acclimated to the track as quickly as possible then see what we can do on Saturday night.”

From RoushFenway

NCATS: British Columbia Dodge Dealers Dodge Avenger 300 event preview

What: British Columbia Dodge Dealers Dodge Avenger 300 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Race #4.

Where: Sun Valley Speedway, Vernon, British Columbia.

When: 7:05 p.m., Sunday, July 15.

Track layout: 1/2-mile oval.

Distance: 300 Laps, 150 miles.

Posted Awards: $83,394 CAD

2006 winner: Inaugural event.

2006 polesitter: Inaugural event.

Records: To be established in inaugural event.

Pre-race schedule: Saturday – Practice, 1:30 p.m.-4:15 p.m. Qualifying, 7 p.m. Note: All times subject to change.

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Top 10: 1. Andrew Ranger 500; 2. Mark Dilley 500; 3. Peter Gibbons 456; 4. Ron Beauchamp 455; 5. Don Thomson Jr. 451; 6. D.J. Kennington 444; 7. John Gaunt 428; 8. Derek Lynch 427; 9. J.R. Fitzpatrick 413; 10. Kerry Micks 399.

Track Contact: Bob Newcombe(250) 542-9090.DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 10, 2007) – Imagine packing for a two-week vacation that encompasses both water and snow skiing. It can be a wardrobe nightmare. In essence, that is what faces most NASCAR Canadian Tire Series teams. They not only have to prepare and pack for an oval race, but also a street course event.
Series teams will tackle the 1/2-mile tri-oval of Sun Valley Speedway near Vernon, British Columbia on one weekend and turn around the very next weekend to take on a 1.973 street course in Edmonton. Other than some teams based in western Canada, most competitors will be traveling well over 2,000 miles from the eastern provinces to participate in the two races.
The logistics of the two-race swing to western Canada can be a headache, but Dave Whitlock (No. 39 Dickies/Hamilton Tiger Cats/NMT Dodge) plans to enjoy the trip and get his season headed in the right direction despite the 2,400-mile trip from his home base near Hamilton, Ontario.
“It’s a little difficult to prepare two cars for two entirely different styles of racing,” said Whitlock. “But we’re optimistic about the trip.”
The Whitlock camp needs the positive attitude to produce positive results. The 2007 season thus far has not measured up to the anticipated results. The two oval races at Cayuga Speedway Park and Barrie Speedway showed finishes of 21st and 15th, respectively. The bright spot was an eighth-place showing on the road course of Mosport International Raceway, but even that finish should have been better.
“At Cayuga, we had a cam shaft failure early on that knocked us out of any contention and the Barrie race was simply a night to forget,” Whitlock said. “Finishing eighth at Mosport was pretty good, but I had a late spin that took us out of a top five.”
Whitlock intends to use the long journey as a new beginning for his season and use the strategy he never had the opportunity to employ at the last race in Barrie.
“Track position is the key at Sun Valley just as it is at any short track,” he said.
Track position starts with qualifying, an area in which Whitlock has not struggled this season. He has started all three races 10th or better.
“Qualifying is certainly important, but it is a 300-lap race, so just about anything can happen between the start and the finish,” Whitlock said.
The track at Sun Valley Speedway also has its own set of unique characteristics. The turns are not symmetrical. Corners one and two have less banking than those of three and four. Also factored in is the tri-oval configuration providing just one straightaway with which to work.
“Getting the car to turn at both ends of the track can be a little tricky,” Whitlock said. “The end with (turns) three and four seem to be a lot roomier. It gets a little tight in one and two.”
However, despite the long haul and the idiosyncrasies of the track, Whitlock is looking forward to his visit to British Columbia.
“It’s a great track in a beautiful part of the country and we’re going out there to win and get our season in gear,” Whitlock said.

NEWS & NOTES
Ø The race … This event is the fourth race for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Sirius Satellite Radio in 2007. It is the third of eight oval-racing events for the series this season. It is the only visit by the series to the province of British Columbia this year. It is also the first NASCAR Canadian Tire Series debut in western Canada and the first event outside the province of Ontario.
Ø The track … Sun Valley Speedway is one of the finest short track racing facilities in not only Canada, but North America. The track is located just north of Vernon, British Columbia in beautiful Spallumcheen. It has a 1/2-mile banked tri-oval configuration with 11 degrees of banking in turns one and two, 14 degrees of banking in turns three and four along with a banking of seven degrees on the front and back stretches.
Ø The weekend … It will be a full weekend of racing action at Sun Valley Speedway. On Saturday in addition to NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Bud Pole qualifying, the local NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Street Stocks will also be in action. The 300-lap main event, the British Columbia Dodge Dealers Dodge Avenger 300, will take place on Sunday evening.
Ø Ticket information … Ticket information for the British Columbia Dodge Dealers Dodge Avenger 300 can be obtained by calling the speedway at (250) 542-9090 or by logging on to www.sunvalleyspeedway.com.
Ø Heading west … This event is part of a two-race western swing for the Canadian Tire Series. The following weekend, the series heads north to Edmonton for a Saturday street course race at the big Grand Prix Edmonton weekend.

From NASCAR

Husband of ISC President Killed in Plane Crash

The husband of International Speedway Corp. President Lesa Kennedy France was killed this morning when the plane he was piloting crashed shortly after takeoff in Sanford, Florida.

Complete story is available at NASCAR Online.

Bill Elliott bails on Riverside appearance

From Riverside Speedway's website:

Awesome Bill not so Awesome - Track Working Feverishly to Find Replacement
Official News Release

JAMES RIVER, NS (July 9, 2007) - Riverside International Speedway regrets to announce the cancellation of Bill Elliott's appearance at this year's heavily anticipated IWK 250 Pro All Stars Series (PASS) race, scheduled for Saturday, July 21 in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.
Riverside Speedway received in writing the cancellation notice from Mr. Elliott late Friday. In his statement he said, "There is no way I am going to Nova Scotia to race that weekend…I am too busy."
Mr. Elliott's last-minute cancellation notice comes after Riverside Speedway management secured the NASCAR Cup champion's appearance on April 27, 2007 with an extra-cost no-cancellation guarantee. We paid an expensive premium to guarantee his participation in the race," says Paul McLean, Riverside Speedway manager. "With the agreement in place, and with active cooperation from his management company, we felt comfortable promoting Mr. Elliott's appearance in print, TV and radio advertisements."
Riverside Speedway has been heavily advertising Mr. Elliott's appearance since April. The race is a fundraiser for the IWK Children's Hospital. Major sponsorships from DuPont Canada and Steve Lewis Auto Body have been secured for the marquee event. A large number of advance tickets have been sold to date.
Despite Mr. Elliott's cancellation, an article from the Halifax Daily News on May 16, 2007 confirming Mr. Elliott's appearance was still visible on http://www.billelliott.com/ (click here) at press time.
"Bill has always emphasized his enthusiasm for getting back to his roots by racing at local tracks to support the fans who've made him so popular," says John Chisholm, owner of Riverside Speedway. "I'm bewildered and saddened by Bill's change in commitment to his fans, some of whom are traveling great distances to see him here. We've been working hard to create an amazing event to benefit the IWK and he's let us all down."
The IWK 250 will proceed despite Mr. Elliott's decision to not participate. "We're working feverishly to find a suitable replacement," says McLean; however at press time we were unable to confirm please check our website for further details in the coming days.
Fans of Bill Elliott and ticket holders for the IWK 250 are encouraged to contact Mr. Elliott directly at http://www.billelliott.com/ or on online racing forums to express their concern and disappointment. Requests for comment on behalf of Bill Elliott can be made directly to Wood Brothers Management Company (21team@woodbrothersjtg.com).

ATLANTIC: Tough outing for Hinchcliffe in Toronto

Toronto, Canada (July 08, 2007) - James Hinchcliffe was collected from behind and eventually classified 11th as his hometown of Toronto hosted an incident-packed eighth round of the 2007 Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda on Sunday morning on the 1.75-mile temporary street course at Exhibition Place.

The 20-year-old's first retirement, following an impressive run of four podium finishes in the last five starts, combined with France's Franck Perera's second straight victory has dropped the sophomore racer to fourth in the Driver Standings having held second to his Sierra Sierra Enterprises team-mate Raphael Matos since Round 5 in Portland last month.

While the weekend ultimately ended in disappointment for 'Hinch', the earlier forecast looked far more promising. Third fastest in Friday's qualifying session, James continued his impressive run of qualifying slots by claiming his seventh top-five start with fifth on the grid following Saturday's second session, his lap time a 1m05.982s (95.753mph) to the pole-winning effort of Matos, the Brazilian capturing his fourth pole of the season with a 1m05.621s lap (96.280mph).

The 23-car field started Sunday's race on slick tires, but a downpour unleashed on the opening lap soon prompted a change of heart and the race was red-flagged on lap three having run under yellows since early incidents brought out a full-course caution on the first tour.

Hinchcliffe darted to pit-lane in the #9 NOCO/ProWorks Swift Mazda-Cosworth for a set of wet tires and waited, along with his rivals, for Champ Car Atlantic officials to allow them back on-track. While track conditions remained treacherous, the field was eventually waived off once again with James holding fifth closing in on Matos ahead. His hopes of attacking his team-mate were quickly curtailed as a second full-course caution just three laps into proceedings froze the field.

The subsequent deployment of the safety car seemed to catch some drivers unaware and James was soon a helpless victim of contact from behind as fellow Canadian, Kevin Lacroix, speared into the back of him. Limping back to the pits, the Sierra Sierra crew began to work feverishly to see if they could repair the damage to James' car but eventually the call was made to retire from the race.

"Well we were running under caution and Kevin decided to come in a little hot," James reflected. "I was catching up to the pace car and all of a sudden I got nailed in the back and he bounced off me and took out Junior Strous too. It was a bit of a rookie mistake but that's racing - what can you do!"

Rounds 9 and 10 of the 2007 Champ Car Atlantic Championship will be hosted at the temporary street course at Edmonton's 1.973-mile City Centre Airport, Friday 20th - Sunday 22nd July: www.grandprixedmonton.comTop-Five Atlantic Drivers R8/12: 1st Matos (BRA) 228pts, 2nd Perera (FRA) 197pts, 3rd Wickens (CAN) 178pts, 4th HINCHCLIFFE (CAN) 178pts, 5th Ricci (ITA) 125pts.

Useful Websites: http://www.champcaratlantic.com/ / http://www.sierrasierra.com/
From Stuart Morrison Public Relations

IHRA EDMONTON: LARGEST SINGLE-DAY CROWD IN CASTROL RACEWAY HISTORY PACKS KNOLL-GAS NITRO JAM EVENT

Gilbertson Claims Top Nitro Funny Car Spot

EDMONTON, Alberta (July 7, 2007) – Bob Gilbertson, Charlotte, N.C., earned the Knoll Gas Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Funny Car top qualifying honors before a standing-room only crowd at Castrol Raceway, the site of this weekend’s IHRA CARS RV & Marine & Motorsport Rocky Mountain Nationals presented by Torco Racing Fuels. As the last of the fans packed into the Knoll-Gas Nitro Jam™ event, after backing up traffic for miles in both directions all day long, Gilbertson used a track record-setting 4.831 elapsed time at 312.13 mph to jump to No. 1 and claim the Last Man Standing bonus points.

Other No. 1 qualifiers include Doug Foley (Top Fuel), Kenny Lang (Pro Modified), Rob Atchison (Alcohol Funny Car) and Pete Berner (Pro Stock).

Steven Macklyn sits second in the Nitro Funny Car class behind Gilbertson. Paul Lee is No. 3, followed by Terry Haddock and points leader Deal Creasy Jr. Edmonton’s Randy Bykowsky qualified No. 8, while Beaumont, Alberta’s Jason Duchene did not make the field.

Knoll Gas Torco Racing Fuels Pro Top Fuel No. 1 qualifier Foley, of Sewell, N.J., ran a 4.581, 324.90, which also earned him the Last Man Standing. He’s trailed by T.J. Zizzo, who ran a 4.609 Friday evening, Mike Strasburg and Scotty Cannon. Bobby Lagana Jr. sits on the bump spot with a 4.856 ET.

Grande Point, Manitoba’s Lang covered the quarter-mile in 6.102 seconds, resetting the Castrol Raceway Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com Pro Modified track record previously held by Scott Cannon Jr. Lang picked up No. 1 qualifier honors as well as Last Man Standing. Ontario-native Carl Spiering is second, followed by current points leader Cannon. Calgary’s Joe Delehay is No. 11 and Dewinton, Alberta’s Gary Mason No. 14.

London, Ontario’s Atchison maintained his No. 1 qualified Alcohol Funny Car spot from Friday with a 5.887, 241.97. Terry Munroe sits No. 2, followed by Calgary’s Roger Bateman, who also earned the Last Man Standing bonus. Defending world champion Mark Thomas is fourth. Trevor Lebsack, of Slave Lake, Alberta, and John Evanchuk, of Edmonton, round out the field seventh and eighth respectively.

Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com Pro Stock No. 1 qualifier Berner, of Crete, Ill., came into this race one point behind John Montecalvo for the championship standings lead. By taking the top spot with his 6.424, 217.11, as well as the Quarter-Max Pro Stock Challenge bonus, he enters Sunday’s elimination rounds with the lead. Robert Patrick holds the second spot, followed by two defending world champions, Steve Spiess and Brian Gahm.

Berner’s 6.424 elapsed time and Gahm’s 217.18 mph speed set the Castrol Raceway record.

Professional eliminations are scheduled for Sunday at 10:30 p.m., 12 noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. For more information, log onto http://www.ihra.com/. The CARS RV & Marine & Motorsport Rocky Mountain Nationals presented by Torco Racing Fuels is the fourth of eleven events on the $19.5 million 2007 Knoll-Gas Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series.

EDMONTON, Alb. -- First-round pairings for professional eliminations Sunday for the CARS RV & Marine & Motorsport Rocky Mountain Nationals presented by TORCO Racing Fuels at Castrol Raceway, the fourth of 11 events in the $19.5 million 2007 Knoll - Gas Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday.

Top Fuel -- 1. Doug Foley, 4.581 seconds, 325.53 mph vs. 5. Bruce Litton, 4.719, 320.74; 2. T.J. Zizzo, 4.609, 326.16 vs. 6. Jeff O'Neill, 4.766, 304.53; 3. Mike Strasburg, 4.629, 266.69 vs. 7. Terry McMillen, 4.846, 261.67; 4. Scotty Cannon, 4.695, 318.32 vs. 8. Bobby Lagana Jr., 4.856, 291.95.

Nitro Funny Car -- 1. Bob Gilbertson, Dodge Stratus, 4.831, 312.13 vs. 5. Dale Creasy Jr., Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.065, 302.62; 2. Steven Macklyn, Pontiac Firebird, 5.041, 296.63 vs. 6. Jack Wyatt, Stratus, 5.374, 228.92; 3. Paul Lee, Monte Carlo, 5.049, 300.86 vs. 7. Andy Kelley, Firebird, 5.472, 205.22; 4. Terry Haddock, Stratus, 5.052, 297.68 vs. 8. Randy Bykowsky, Monte Carlo, 5.988, 237.30.

Pro Modified -- 1. Kenny Lang, Chevy Corvette, 6.102, 234.45 vs. 9. Quain Stott, Corvette, 6.209, 230.61; 2. Carl Spiering, Chevy Camaro, 6.103, 234.37 vs. 10. Danny Rowe, Corvette, 6.221, 229.55; 3. Scott Cannon, Pontiac Firebird, 6.128, 233.24 vs. 11. Joe Delehay, Dodge Viper, 6.222, 228.31; 4. Chip King, Dodge Daytona, 6.176, 233.64 vs. 12. Eddie Ware, Camaro, 6.225, 228.54; 5. Mike Castellana, Ford Mustang, 6.180, 228.31 vs. 13. Ed Hoover, Corvette, 6.242, 229.66; 6. Jim Halsey, Camaro, 6.181, 230.29 vs. 14. Gary Mason, Corvette, 6.260, 230.41; 7. Pat Stoken, Camaro, 6.184, 227.34 vs. 15. Harold Martin, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.276, 211.13; 8. Matt Hagan, Camaro, 6.187, 230.13 vs. 16. Kirk Kuhns, Willys, 6.277, 226.39.

Alcohol Funny Car -- 1. Rob Atchison, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.887, 241.97 vs. 5. Terry McMillen, Dodge Avenger, 5.965, 233.20; 2. Terry Munroe, Monte Carlo, 5.907, 238.13 vs. 6. Larry Dobbs, Chevy Corvette, 5.968, 237.21; 3. Roger Bateman, Chevy Camaro, 5.908, 236.38 vs. 7. Trevor Lebsack, Ford Mustang, 6.052, 230.61; 4. Mark Thomas, Monte Carlo, 5.931, 241.67 vs. 8. John Evanchuk, Pontiac Firebird, 6.072, 229.47.

Pro Stock -- 1. Pete Berner, Pontiac GTO, 6.424, 217.11 vs. 8. Bob Bertsch, Ford Mustang, 6.478, 214.79; 2. Robert Patrick, Shelby Cobra, 6.433, 216.48 vs. 9. Rob Mansfield, Chevy Cobalt, 6.482, 215.03; 3. Steve Spiess, Cobalt, 6.438, 215.89 vs. 10. Rickie Smith, Cobalt, 6.483, 215.07; 4. Brian Gahm, Mustang, 6.441, 217.18 vs. 11. Dean Goforth, GTO, 6.490, 215.00; 5. John Montecalvo, Cobalt, 6.441, 215.44 vs. 12. Cary Goforth, Cobalt, 6.490, 215.37; 6. Frank Gugliotta, Cobalt, 6.469, 216.10 vs. 13. John Nobile, Mustang, 6.491, 215.37; 7. Elijah Morton, Mustang, 6.476, 215.27 vs. 14. Ronnie Humphrey, Mustang, 6.607, 210.80.

From Travis Reynolds // IHRA

MOTO-ST: San Jose BMW team fastest in SunTrust MOTO-ST Series practice at Road America

ELKHART LAKE, WI – San Jose BMW team rider Brian Parriott showed the way during Saturday afternoon’s practice session for the fourth round of the SunTrust MOTO-ST Series at Road America. The Calistoga, CA resident powered his BMW R1200 around the 14-turn, four-mile road course in a time of 2:27.767 for an average speed of 97.451 mph. Parriott’s effort was 0.574 of a second better than that posted by the second-fastest team; Aprilia USA 2 on their Aprilia Tuono 1000R.

Following the session, Parriott was pleased with his team’s performance. “It went pretty good. The bike was working pretty well. The tire we chose worked pretty well and everybody is happy with the situation. We had a small mishap with the driveshaft but we can fix that up.”

Commenting on his fast lap, which came relatively late in the two-hour session, Parriott said, “We didn’t really make any adjustments, it was more a matter of me putting my head down and getting going.”

Third fastest in the SST division was the No. 32 Vallely Racing team on their Suzuki SV1000S.

Leading the way in the GST class was the No. 8 Richie Morris Racing Team Buell XB12, at the hands of rider Shawn Higbee. The Oconomonoc, WI resident set his fast time (2:35.998 / 92.309 mph) on just his fourth lap of the session, displaying his wealth of experience at the legendary road course. The No. 38 Touring Sport Ducati Team / Ducati Supersport 1000DS was more than two seconds back of Higbee (2:38.298 / 90.968). The No. 3 James Gang Racing Buell XB12 was next (2:39.275 / 90.41 mph).

Brian Kcraget of Danville, VA was the man to beat in terms of the ST class competitors during Saturday’s practice session. The No. 87 SpeedWerks.com Suzuki SV650 rider posted a time of 2:38.621 (90.782 mph) on his 38th and final lap of the session. The No. 9 Pair-A-Nines Kawasaki Ninja 650R was second on the ST time charts, clocking in at 2:39.640 (90.203 mph), followed by the No. 16 RightsForBikers.com Suzuki SV650 (2:42.512 / 88.609).

The SunTrust MOTO-ST competitors will be back in action at Road America on Sunday morning at 8 a.m. for a one-hour practice session. The three-hour SunTrust MOTO-ST 500K at Road America gets underway at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.

Following this weekend’s race, the SunTrust MOTO-ST Series will head to Iowa for the Iowa Speedway 500k on July 12-13. The season concludes with the 8 Hours At Daytona Finale, October 19-20 at Daytona International Speedway.

MOTO-ST is organized and sanctioned by Professional Motorsports Productions (PMP) of Toronto, Ontario, Canada and the Grand American Road Racing Association, based in Daytona Beach, Fla., provides the series with administrative and commercial support. The MOTO-ST advisory board features some of the most respected individuals in the world of motorsports, including Hall of Fame members, respected motorcycle racing journalists and renowned officials from various forms of road racing. Learn more about MOTO-ST at www.moto-st.com.
Tickets to Round 4 of the SunTrust MOTO-ST Series may be purchased at the gate.

PHOTO: San Jose BMW team rider Brian Parriott was fastest during Saturday afternoon's practice session for the fourth round of the SunTrust MOTO-ST Series at Road America. (Credit: Rob O'Brien / MOTO-ST)

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Contacts:Adam Saal, Grand-Am Managing Director of Corporate Communications(386) 681-6204, asaal@grandamerican.com

Penny Nicolai, SunTrust MOTO-ST Series Public Relations (818) 881-6458, pennynicolai@aol.com