BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (April 9, 2010) - The last time Joe Foster competed in a GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race at Barber Motorsports Park - in 2008 - he won the pole position and went on to win the race with co-driver Scott Maxwell.
He started this year's Barber 200 weekend in similar fashion, as he won the pole position Friday in the No. 15 Multimatic Motorsports/Bayshore Recycling Ford Mustang Boss 302R. His time of 1:36.876 (85.470 mph) blistered a six-year-old Grand Sport (GS) record at the 2.3-mile, 17-turn track; in fact, the top four cars - all Ford Mustangs - were under Spencer Pumpelly's previous record, set in 2004.
The race also marked the second consecutive event for Foster to win the pole position; he was awarded the pole position at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
"It's been two years since we've been here, and the cars we have are a little bit different," Foster said. "The Mustangs this year are fast. The last time we were here at Barber in the GS class we won, so we're hoping to go back to victory lane."
Jack Roush Jr. in the No. 61 ROUSH Performance Products Ford Mustang Boss 302R qualified second at Barber with a time of 1:37.004 (85.357 mph). Roush has finished third in each of his two races at Barber.
"Coming off our first win at Homestead-Miami Speedway last month, we're coming to Barber trying not to be arrogant," Roush said. "Personally, this is one of my favorite tracks, as I've finished third in both of my races here. We hope to change that a little this year and go for the victory instead. We don't take it lightly."
Qualifying third was defending race co-winner Bret Seafuse, who turned in a time of 1:37.223 (85.165 mph) in the No. 37 Trumansburg ShurSave Ford Mustang Boss 302R he shares with James Gue. Fourth was rookie Ryan Winchester, at 1:37.369 (85.037 mph), in the No. 59 Rehagen Racing Products Ford Mustang GT, co-driven by defending series champion Ken Wilden.
Alabama-based APR Motorsport, located in Auburn, was the fastest team not running a Mustang. Jordan Taylor, in the No. 01 APR/BBS Audi S4, was fifth with a time of 1:37.534 (84.893 mph). GS points leader Charlie Putman will start 16th.
While veterans secured spots in the GS front row, a pair of rookies topped the first and second positions in the Street Tuner (ST) class. David White, in BimmerWorld/GearWrench's No. 80 Performance Friction/RAYS Engineering BMW 328i, set a time of 1:41.644 (81.461 mph) to earn his first career pole position. Second was Eric Foss in the No. 27 Aventura Technologies/Freedom Autosport MAZDASPEED3, with a time of 1:41.884 (81.269 mph).
Both White and Foss are making their third career Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge ST starts. White, who co-drives with team owner James Clay, said he struggled up until his qualifying run, but had the car together when he needed it the most.
"I had been struggling up to the qualifying session with lap times," White said, "but we worked on the setup and pulled it all together. For me, it was a perfect lap, and it feels great to be on the pole."
Foss, a driving instructor who calls Barber his second home track, is making his first-ever start with Freedom Autosport. He will co-drive with Randy Pobst.
"The car was good during qualifying," Foss said. "We're struggling with long runs though; we hope to have that fixed by the race. Randy has been great, and we've agreed on every change we've made this weekend so far. Mazda and Freedom Autosport have given us a good chance to run up front; we just need to do our part on Saturday."
On the second row will be Mike Sweeney, who turned in a time of 1:42.247 (80.980 mph) in the No. 171 APR/BBS Volkswagen GTI he'll share with Mike Halpin, and Derek Whitis, who lapped the circuit at 1:42.321 (80.922 mph) in the No. 25 Aventura Technologies/Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5. Whitis and co-driver Tom Long are coming off the ST win at Homestead-Miami. ST points leader David Thilenius will start eighth.
The two-and-a-half hour Barber 200 will take the green flag at 4 p.m. CT Saturday.
From Michael Harker / Grand-Am
Friday, April 09, 2010
Grand-Am: Multimatic's Foster wins Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge pole
LEE USA LATE MODEL TEAMS READY FOR ACT OPENER
Waterbury, VT – Opening season excitement returns to Lee USA Speedway on Sunday, April 18, 2010. The traditional opening event of the race season for the American Canadian Tour (ACT) at Lee USA presents a special challenge for the ACT teams. The New Hampshire Governor’s Cup 150 used to have a decided edge to the touring teams, but not anymore.
“The Lee Late Model teams have come a long way over the past several years in gaining experience in long distance races,” Tom Curley, president of the ACT, which opens its 25th season on April 18th, said. “When you combine that with the ‘home track’ advantage, there are always some Lee teams that challenge for good finishes in the opening event.”
2009 Champion Wayne Helliwell, Jr. from Dracut, MA, will be driving the Bruce Bernhardt Ford and will lead the Lee contingent at the opening event. Other Lee regulars expected to make a run for the NH Governor’s Cup are former champion JR Baril, Bryan Kruczek, and former winner on the ACT at Canaan Fair Speedway in 2005, AJ Begin from Merrimac, MA.
“The competition just to get in the Lee opener is always one of the most difficult of the season,” said former Governor’s Cup winner and ACT title contender Joey Polewarczyk (Pole), from nearby Hudson, NH.
When asked if he might have an edge after some early spring racing with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series at Greenville Pickens and South Boston Speedways, Pole said, “Not really--the ACT teams will be well prepared as always, and some will have tested before Lee. Actually, they may have a little advantage. The toughest part is the large number of teams that usually show up for the opener and especially some of the Lee guys are getting really competitive. It’s time to get started and I can’t wait.”
Over 50 teams are expected to be at Lee for the opening event. Former Lee winners Jean-Paul Cyr and Cris Michaud from Vermont will join home state Governor Cup winners Joey Pole and defending Champion Brad Leighton from Center Harbor, NH in their quest to repeat in 2010.
Adding some extra energy to the Lee event is the fact that the winner gets a qualified spot in the 2010 ACT Invitational II to be held at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway during the first NASCAR ‘Chase’ event on September 18, 2010.
ACT teams will practice on Saturday, April 17, 2010 from noon until 5:00pm. Sunday pits will open at 9:00am and general admission gates open at 10:00. Post time is 1:00 for the New Hampshire Governor’s Cup 150.
For additional information contact the ACT office at 802.244.6963 or media@acttour.com, or Lee USA Speedway at 978.462.4252.
Photo: Driver introductions before the 2009 NH Governor's Cup at Lee USA Speedway.
Photo By: Eric LaFleche
McCormick to fill in for injured Yates at Jordan Suzuki
Michael Jordan Motorsports announced this morning that 18-year-old Canadian Superbike rider Brett McCormick will fill in for Jordan Suzuki rider Aaron Yates as he recovers from injury.
Yates - who underwent surgery on March 28th after breaking his leg in that morning's practice prior to race four of the 2010 AMA Pro National Guard American Superbike Championship at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California - is expected to be out of action for six-to-twelve weeks.
McCormick, from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in Canada, was the 2009 runner-up in the Canadian Superbike Championship. He raced the first two AMA Superbike events of 2010 for Celtic Racing, scoring a seventh and an eighth-placed finish in the first four races and currently sits 10th in the series.
The team evaluated McCormick during last week's test at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. Both Celtic Racing and McCormick have close ties with Michael Jordan Motorsports and that, combined with his recent experience on the Suzuki GSX-R1000, made him a good candidate to fill in for the injured Yates. Celtic Racing team owner Barry Gilsenan is very supportive of the decision and is glad to see Brett get the opportunity.
From a release issued by Team Suzuki Press Office
Centre for Speed introduces ACT Late Models
SHEDIAC, NB - The Center for Speed (CFS) in Shediac, New Brunswick announced today that the 2011 season will offer some changes in the type of race divisions that will be offered to Maritime stock car racing teams. The introduction of the American Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Model division as a premiere weekly division has generated enthusiasm among many of the top tier CENTRE racers.
"The time is right for our race facility and race teams to join forces with what has become the most successful form of weekly and touring racing in the Northeastern United States and in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. We are happy and excited to be the first organization in the Maritimes to introduce this very successful type of Late Model racing to our region," said Tim Wile, the General Manager of the CENTRE of Speed.
The ACT program has expanded over the past decade to include a dozen weekly tracks and two major touring divisions throughout New England, Quebec, and Ontario. ACT Late Model programs are supported at Oxford Plains Speedway in Maine, home of the famous "Oxford 250"; New Hampshire tracks: White Mountain, Twin State, Lee USA, Canaan Speedway; Seekonk Speedway in Massachusetts, and Waterford Speedbowl in Connecticut. Thunder Road Speedbowl in Vermont is the home of the ACT Late Model division, and Capital City in Ottawa, along with Kawartha Speedway in Ontario also are affiliate tracks of the ACT program. The American Canadian Tour in the United States and the ACT Castrol Series in Quebec and Ontario are two of the most successful traveling tours in the Northeast.
Tom Curley, President of ACT said, "We designed the ACT Late Model division with a high priority on weekly racing as a base to our business model. The ACT Late Model philosophy was, and continues to provide a cost-efficient car for race teams, race tracks, as well as promoters and fans. We now have over 400 teams who use the ACT rules and we continue to enjoy expansion. The racing with the crate motors, Goodyear tires, restricted drive train and sealed Koni shocks has definitely controlled the costs for the racers. The end result is that we have a 'driver' division with great parity. It is not a high-level division where whoever can afford to spend the most money usually dominates. We are eager to work with the CENTRE for Speed on this expansion project."
The move by the CFS to an ACT Late Model division opens up many new opportunities for racers and their fans from the New Brunswick region. The 'universal' rules throughout the Northeast will once again encourage Maritime race teams to compete at races like the "Oxford 250", major ACT Castrol Series races throughout Quebec, and as a part of the ACT affiliate track program Maritime teams will have an opportunity to compete at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, NH during the NASCAR 'Chase" weekend each September.
CFS will be holding an informational meeting at a place and time TBA in the near future. The CENTRE for Speed's season opens on Saturday, May 15th at 1PM with the Atlantic Demo and Endurance Championships and the Stock Car Season Opener the following Sunday on May 23rd at 1PM.
For additional information contact ACT at 802.244.6963 or CFS at 506 388-2415. Additional information about the CENTRE is also available at www.centreforspeed.com.
From CFS
Thursday, April 08, 2010
NASCAR: Harraka moves to the top of the Hunter Index
(Note: Inside Track contributor Spencer Lewis participated in the panel contributing to the April edition of The Hunter Index. Congratulations Spencer!)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 8, 2010) – It was only one race. But it was an impressive way to kick off the 2010 season. In the NASCAR K&N Pro Series opener on March 27, Paulie Harraka won the Coors Light Pole Award and led 125 laps en route to winning at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif. It was more than enough to impress the panel of auto racing writers and NASCAR representatives and earn the top spot in the latest edition of the Hunter Index.
The Hunter Index is a new feature in 2010 on NASCARHomeTracks.com that will spotlight the top 10 drivers in the NASCAR Developmental Series in a monthly power poll. Drivers are ranked on their performance over the previous month.
Harraka, who was fifth in the preseason poll on the strength of winning two of the last three NASCAR K&N Pro Series West races in 2009, earned four of the six first-place votes.
"The numbers speak for themselves," said Tim Haddock of HaddockInThePaddock.com. "He won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West opener in impressive fashion. It's clear the 2009 Sunoco Rookie of the Year has taken the crucial first step in becoming a West Series champion."
Cole Whitt, the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East points leader, checked in at No. 2. James Civali and Darrell Wallace Jr. are third and fourth, respectively, and each picked up a first-place vote. Civali is the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour points leader and coming off a win at South Boston (Va.) Speedway. Wallace became the youngest winner in NASCAR K&N Pro Series East history when he won at Greenville (S.C.) Speedway. While he finished 20th at South Boston, Wallace impressed by driving from the back of the field into the top three before a cut tire ended his day early.
"I voted Civali at the top because he's the only driver in the touring division who has run multiple events, is leading the points, and has won an event," said Shawn Courchesne of the Hartford (Conn.) Courant.
Civali will be back on track this weekend, when the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour kicks off its season at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway.
As the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series tracks have begun their seasons across North America, several drivers have made early gains on the national championship hunt. Most notable is Keith Rocco of Wallingford, Conn. Rocco, the national runner-up last year, is 2-for-2 in feature wins in the SK Modified division at the Waterford (Conn.) Speedbowl and checked in at No. 5 in the Hunter Index.
Max Gresham (NASCAR K&N Pro Series East), Philip Morris (NASCAR Whelen All-American Series), Andy Seuss (NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour), Nick Joanides (NASCAR Whelen All-American Series), and Dexter Canipe Jr. (NASCAR Whelen All-American Series) rounded out the top 10.
The Hunter Index is named for Jim Hunter, NASCAR's vice president of corporate communications and a long-time supporter of the weekly and touring series that make up the NASCAR Developmental Series.
The Index was designed in the off season as an opportunity to compare the top drivers from the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series all the way up to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series. It will also encompass drivers from the NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour.
The panel also included media members Courchesne representing the Northeast, Adam Fenwick of National Speed Sport News from the Southeast, Haddock from the West Coast, and Greg MacPherson from the Canadian publication Inside Track Motorsports News. They are joined by Brett Bodine, who is the chairman of the NASCAR resumé committee and represented the NASCAR competition side on the panel, and NASCAR public relations representative Jason Christley.
The panel will conference on the first Wednesday of each month, and the Hunter Index will be released the following day.
NASCAR fans are encouraged to weigh in with their own opinions through the NASCAR Home Tracks Community page on NASCAR.com.
APRIL HUNTER INDEX
1. PAULIE HARRAKA (NASCAR K&N Pro Series West)
Why he's here: Won the pole and led nearly every lap in winning K&N Pro Series West opener at All American in Roseville, Calif.; third win in last four races in West dating back to last year.
2. COLE WHITT (NASCAR K&N Pro Series East)
Why he's here: First in points in K&N Pro Series East; won pole and finished fourth at Greenville Pickens; was second at South Boston; only driver to lead laps in both events.
3. JAMES CIVALI (NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour)
Why he's here: Has a win (South Boston), two top fives and three top 10s in three starts; won pole at Atlanta (finished sixth) and was third at Caraway; leads in points.
4. DARRELL WALLACE JR. (NASCAR K&N Pro Series East)
Why he's here: Won debut at Greenville Pickens; qualified third at South Boston, started in back because of unapproved adjustment, moved up to fourth before cutting a tire.
5. KEITH ROCCO (NASCAR Whelen All-American Series)
Why he's here: Last year's national runner-up has won first two races at Waterford Speedbowl and leads track points.
6. MAX GRESHAM (NASCAR K&N Pro Series East)
Why he's here: Rebounded from a 23rd at Greenville Pickens with nearly perfect performance at South Boston, where he won pole and led 146 laps en route to win.
7. PHILIP MORRIS (NASCAR Whelen All-American Series)
Why he's here: Won Motor Mile Late Model season opener on April 3 - won the pole and led all 152 laps, holding off field in a green-white-checkered finish; also third in Late Model points at South Boston.
8. ANDY SEUSS (NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour)
Why he's here: Second in points with a win at Caraway and a third-place finish at South Boston.
9. NICK JOANIDES (NASCAR Whelen All-American Series)
Why he's here: Opened defense of Super Late Model division title at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale (Calif.) with a win.
10. DEXTER CANIPE JR. (NASCAR Whelen All-American Series)
Why he's here: Is 2-for-2 in wins in Late Model division at Hickory Motor Speedway in Newton, N.C.
HONORABLE MENTION: Ryan Truex (NASCAR K&N Pro Series East), Josh Combs (K&N Pro Series West), Ryan Gifford (NASCAR K&N Pro Series East), Travis Swaim (NASCAR Whelen All-American Series), and Tim Brown (NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour).
From Jason Christley, NASCAR Public Relations
Grand-Am: Fogarty Fastest In Opening Daytona Prototype Practice
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (April 8, 2010) - Jon Fogarty waited until the closing minutes of opening practice Thursday to set the fastest lap of the day as GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 competitors prepared for Saturday's Porsche 250 at Barber Motorsports Park.
Fogarty unofficially broke the track record with a lap of 1:20.018 (103.477 mph) on the 2.3-mile, 17-turn circuit, driving the No. 99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Chevrolet Riley. Fogarty and co-driver Alex Gurney won here in 2007 and 2009, going on to capture the Daytona Prototype championship both times.
The race takes the green flag at 1:30 p.m. ET Saturday (SPEED, live).
Jordan Taylor was quickest in GT practice, running a lap of 1:27.327 (94.816 mph) in the No. 30 Racers Edge Motorsports Mazda RX-8 co-driven by Todd Lamb.
"We went out with a new set of tires late in the session to simulate qualifying, and I think we got the most out of it," said Fogarty."We're happy, because we made a huge jump to get to the top of the time sheets from what we were running on our old tires. The new tires seemed to be worth a tremendous amount. Hopefully, that won't be the case with the other teams."
Fogarty, who ended the 2009 season with a streak of five consecutive poles, will be the favorite to begin a new streak in Friday's 15-minute qualifying session that begins at 11:40 a.m. ET.
"It's important to start up front," Fogarty said. "Hopefully, we can start out there, pull out the right strategy, have a good pit stop and send Alex out in the same position."
Scott Pruett was on top for most of the session after turning an early lap of 1:20.466 (102.900 mph) in the No. 01 TELMEX Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates BMW Riley co-driven by Memo Rojas.
"We expected the faster speeds with the cooler conditions and better grip," said Pruett, who won the recent Grand Prix of Miami after finishing second in the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona to take the lead in the championship. "Our goal this season is to finish on the podium in every race. We're going after the championship again, and all points are important. We have a great car here and would love to bring home a victory, but if we can't do that, we'll try to bring it home second or third."
Memo Gidley was third fastest in the No. 77 Doran Racing McDonald's Ford Dallara, 1:20.904 (102.343 mph) co-driven by Dion von Moltke. Rounding out the top five were Ozz Negri, 1:20.973 (102.256 mph) in the No. 60 Michael Shank Racing Crown Royal XR Ford Riley co-driven by John Pew, and Ryan Dalziel, 1:21.021 (102.195 mph) in the Starworks Motorsport BMW Riley co-driven by Mike Forest.
In GT, Mazdas took five of the top six positions in the opening session, led by the lone one-car team fielding the RX-8.
"The Racers Edge guys have done a great job during the break between Homestead and Barber, and it made it easy for me right out of the box," Taylor said, "We're quick and it's looking good for the weekend."
Paul Edwards was second fastest in GT, running a lap of 1:27.717 (94.394 mph) in the No. 07 Banner Racing Corvette he shares with motorcycle legend Scott Russell. Rolex 24 At Daytona winner Sylvain Tremblay was third, 1:28.175 (93.904 mph) in the No. 70 SpeedSource Castrol Syntec Mazda RX-8 co-driven by Jonathan Bomarito, followed by Leh Keen, 1:28.614 (93.438 mph) in the No. 41 Dempsey Racing/Team Seattle Mazda RX-8 co-driven by James Gue, and Joe Foster, 1:28.727 (93.319 mph) in the No. 40 Dempsey Racing Mazda RX-8 co-driven by Patrick Dempsey.
The Grand Prix of Miami-winning No. 69 SpeedSource FXDD Mazda RX-8 of Jeff Segal and Emil Assentato managed only one lap in the session. Segal heard an alarm and came to the pits, and the team elected to change the engine as a precaution.
Maxwell, Trinkler Fastest in Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Sessions
After completing only three laps during Thursday morning practice, Scott Maxwell and Joe Foster came back in the afternoon practice to set the fastest lap of the day in Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Grand Sport (GS) competition.
Maxwell set a time of 1:36.835 (85.506 mph) in the No. 15 Multimatic Motorsports/Bayshore Recycling Ford Mustang Boss 302R, more than a half second quicker than the Multimatic Motorsports team's closest competitor from the Rehagen Racing camp. Maxwell and Foster won the 2008 edition of the Barber 200 when they drove for Hyper Sport.
Defending series champion Ken Wilden and rookie Ryan Winchester were second in the No. 59 Rehagen Racing Products Ford Mustang GT with a time of 1:37.413 (84.999 mph). Fords have won the last two GS races at Barber.
In the Street Tuner (GS) class, RSR Motorsports driver Owen Trinkler topped the charts in morning session with a time of 1:42.049 (81.137 mph). Trinkler and team owner Randy Smalley drive the No. 196 Cruise America/4 Winds RV Mini Cooper. Second in ST were 2007 co-winner Jamie Holtom and Andrew Danyliw in the No. 21 Sick Kids Foundation/C&P Cross Border Law Chevrolet Cobalt, with a time of 1:42.272 (80.961 mph). The team did not compete in morning practice.
The Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge returns to the track for practice at 8 a.m. CT Friday, with qualifying at 9:50 a.m. CT.
From J.J O'Malley / Grand-Am
Cornwall Motor Speedway Car Show at Cornwall Square from April 18 to April 24
Cornwall, Ont – Thursday, April 8, 2010 – Martin Bélanger – The 2010 season is approaching quickly and fans are getting anxious for the upcoming summer. Cornwall Motor Speedway is proud to announce that they will be at the Cornwall Square from Sunday April 18th to Saturday, April 24th for their annual car show.
Over 20 race cars and go-karts will be on display during the week as Dan Jalbert, Mitch Jock and Gage Morin will represent the 358-modified, Jenna David in the sportsman, Marc Lalonde in the Pro-Stock, Ronnie Tyo and Frank Colpitts in the Mini-Stock categories will be on hand along with a dozen of go-karts.
Fans will have the chance to discuss with the drivers and catch a glimpse of the new colours and paint schemes for 2010. Cornwall will have draws over the week for T-Shirts and VIP Passes.
The Cornwall Square shopping centre is open from 11am to 5pm on Sunday, 9:30am to 9:00pm from Monday until Friday and 9:30am to 5:30pm on Saturday. We invite everyone to come and see a good preview of the exciting season at Cornwall Motor Speedway!
Hinchcliffe Targets Barber Bounce Back
Toronto, Ontario (April 08, 2010) – Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama plays hosts to Round 2 of the 2010 Firestone Indy Lights Series this weekend, Friday 9th – Sunday 11th April, and one man eager to get going is Canada’s James Hinchcliffe.
The Toronto racer is desperate to return to the 2.38-mile, 17-turn circuit having captured the fastest pre-season testing time there back in February as together with the IZOD IndyCar Series, the Firestone Indy Lights entrants sampled the track for the first time prior to this weekend’s inaugural ‘Indy Grand Prix of Alabama’.
James’ speed, piloting the #2 Team Moore Racing Dallara-Firestone, followed through into the opening round of the season last month in St. Petersburg, Florida. The 23-year-old captured pole on the temporary street circuit, only to see his crack at a maiden Indy Lights victory cruelly denied after being taken out at the first turn on the opening lap.
Regardless, ‘Hinch’ – who finished fifth overall in last year’s Indy Lights Driver Standings, is keen to maintain the form that has him earmarked as a title contender.
“Well the most frustrating thing about the St. Pete race was knowing that we probably had the fastest car in the field,” stated Hinchcliffe. “It’s just a shame that our race was cut short so early as I had a clear run to the first turn after a great start. But, as I said at the time, that’s motor racing and while it was unfortunate for the guys on the team who’d worked so hard to give me such a great car, we take heart from knowing the speed was there.
“Similarly, we ran competitively on our sole trip to Barber Motorsports Park in pre-season testing. I’m pretty confident that with the consistency we’ve demonstrated already, the #2 Team Moore Racing entry should be in the mix in qualifying and the race. The Barber track is almost the complete opposite from St. Petersburg. It’s a fairly long layout with lots of corners and the elevation changes are something else. I’m pumped to be going back and I’m targeting nothing less than a trip to the top step of the podium!”
In addition to racing, Hinchcliffe will again be part of the IZOD IndyCar Series Pace Car Team in Alabama, a role he’s relishing with a direct involvement in track operations when the IndyCar Series hits the track.
Round 2 of the 2010 Firestone Indy Lights Series gets underway at Barber Motorsports Park at Noon ET on Sunday 11th April – www.indycar.com
Release Prepared By SM-PR Tel: +1 514 684 2621 / Cell: +1 514 945 3253 / Email: stuart@sm-pr.com
DIRTcar: VP D99 new spec fuel introduced in Canada
Concord, NC – April 8, 2010 – DIRTcar Racing Northeast officials have announced that effective immediately the VP D99 unleaded brand will be the mandated fuel for Sportsman Modifieds and Pro Stocks in Canada during the 2010 race season.
The Canadian government has delayed a final ruling on indefinitely extending an exemption that has been in place since 1994, one that allows leaded racing fuels to be used in competition vehicles. However, a final ruling on whether or not to extend the exemption is not expected to be made until the 2010 racing season is well underway, thus placing track operators and competitors at significant risk if they allow/use leaded fuels.
In consideration of the timeliness of this matter, DIRTcar officials recently met with VP Racing Fuel officials and ultimately designed the new unleaded D99.
“Traditionally, Environment Canada has extended an annual exemption to competition vehicles that utilize leaded fuel, however, recently it has issued documentation to stakeholders within our industry and others that have lifted the exemption,” stated Joe Skotnicki, DIRTcar NE Director of Series Competition & Track Sanctioning. “As dates for the opening events in the region grew closer in Ontario and Quebec, we along with several proactive track managers and promoters, along with our fuel partner, VP Racing Fuels, recognized the need to be compliant. We pooled our resources and developed a fuel that will prove very popular in addition to meeting all of the specified requirements.”
D99, an oxygenated unleaded fuel with a 99 octane, is in production and will be available for distribution to Canada by April 7. In addition to the D99 for Sportsman and Pro Stock teams, the specified D109 will be permitted for DIRTcar Big-Block and 358-Modified divisions in Canada until further notice.
“We’ve dealt with the lead issue in Canada dating back to original challenges that were issued to all fuel manufacturers in 1990, with the first exemption granted in 1994,” said Jim Kelly, Eastern Regional Manager for VP Racing Fuels. “The government reviewed various impact studies and listened to interested parties and exempted year after year. We appreciate the group’s diligence and await the finality of this decision, which is anticipated to be announced in early summer.”
D99 and D109 are being blended and drummed at VP’s Newark, Delaware facility and will be shipped immediately to the designated DIRTcar trackside vendors and authorized D-fuel dealers in Ontario and Quebec. For availability, racers in Canada can contact the same trackside vendors and resellers they dealt with last year. VP D99 will carry a MSRP of US$6/gallon in Canada and US$5/gallon in the United States.
VP Racing Fuels’ Research & Development specialist Fred Turza (302/521-1767) can be contacted for tech support while additional information can be obtained on-line by writing ovaltracktech@vpracingrfuels.com. Competition Director Joe Skotnicki can be reached via cell (704/796-4566) to answer further questions.
DIRTcar Racing Northeast main office is located in Weedsport, New York on the Cayuga County Fairgrounds, home of DIRTcar All-Star Weekend in July. DIRTcar Northeast’s crown jewel event ---Super DIRT Week at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse runs annually in October featuring Hoosier Tire-VP Racing Fuels Mr. DIRTcar Championship Series events for Big-Block Modified, 358-Modified, Sportsman and Pro Stock divisions. Ticket and schedule information is available by contacting the Weedsport office (315/834-6606) during the day or logging into www.allstar100weekend.com and www.superdirtweekonline.com anytime.
From DIRTcar / Tom Skibinski
THILENIUS AND ASCHENBACH LOOK TO EXTEND COMPASS360 CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD
David Thilenius and Lawson Aschenbach, who co-drive the team's #74 Honda Civic Si, currently have a seven-point advantage of their closest rival thanks to a win at Daytona International Speedway in January and a hard-fought second place at Homestead-Miami in March.
"The first two rounds couldn't have gone much better," noted Thilenius. "We know it's going to be a hard battle at Barber this weekend, and we expect the fans will see some really close competition." Indeed, with Continental being on the ticket with the Rolex Sports Car series and the Indy Racing League, there promises to be a great turn-out.
The #74 car once again leads a strong four-car effort from Compass360. "While we work to get some more valuable points for Dave and Lawson, I'm also expecting great things from our other cars as well," notes Team Principal Karl Thomson. "Remember, Zach Lutz lead his entire stint in #75 before that car experienced engine trouble at Homestead!" Lutz will share his orange Honda with team-mate Ryan Eversley.
Greg Liefhooge and Jesse Combs will co-drive in the #77 Civic Si, building on two strong performances in the opening rounds, with their car sitting third in Street Tuner Team points.
Compass360 welcomes Alex Kirby and Marv Weidner to the team, and they'll compete together in the #76 Honda. Both are rookies to Grand-Am but have extensive racing experience. Weidner's looking forward to transitioning to the front-wheel drive Civic after spending a number of seasons racing high-powered Porsches, while Kirby is moving into touring car racing after a long career in go karts and formula cars.
"We've made some changes to the cars that I think will keep us in the hunt at Barber," remarked Technical Director Ray Lee. "For sure, the BMWs, Miatas, Minis and VWs will be tough at this track. We'll be going for another win and hope to have all four cars in the top ten again."
The 2.5-hour Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge at Barber Motorsports Park starts at 4:00pm on Saturday April 10th, and will be televised tape-delayed on SPEED.
Compass360 Racing (C360R) is the motorsports division of Compass360 Branding Communications, a firm offering marketing expertise to clients in diverse industries across North America. The Championship-winning race team, with support from Honda of America, fields four front-running Honda Civic Si's in Grand-Am's KONI Challenge, as well as cars in Canadian Touring Car. For details visit http://c360r.com/.
A&W and Jason White Sign Multi year Contract
A&W's director of the Nascar and 'Cruisin' the Dub' programs Roger Barnes, is very pleased with the performance of Jason White not only on the track but his ability to get A&W brand exposure off the track as well. "A&W for over 50 years has had an emotional inter-action with the automobile, from our early drive-in days and our famous carhops. Today we remember those times with our customers thru classic cars, hot rods and Cruisin' the Dub. The natural progression is an amazing partnership with #21 Racin' Jason White and the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, a new world of performance, speed, thrills and fans. Jason and his team are driving A&W into a new era of customer connection," stated Barnes.
Now the focus switches for White from the board room to what the team knows best, preparation and consistency. "We can now focus on preparing cars and making them faster, with the overall goal of being a consistent top ten car, and let the top fives come as the cards fall," said White. "You really can't set your goals too high at this level of motor sports, its very important to set attainable goals and keep learning something new every time out, otherwise you will be disappointed a lot," White remarked.
A&W will also once again host the "A&W Crusin' The Dub 300" this July 31st at one of Canadas Premier Motor sports facilities, the all new "Motoplex Speedway and Event Park" (formerly Sun Valley Speedway). This will be the third year in a row for A&W to sponsor the July classic, and White thinks another sell out crowd will be on hand to see Canadas NASCAR stars. "Right from the first race of the season, the team will be building up to the A&W 300 at our home track," White said. " We look forward to coming home to a capacity crowd and giving our fans the best possible show we can, and hopefully put ourselves in a position to be there battling for the win at the end," enthused White.
So with the Nascar Canadian Tire Series just around the corner, be sure to check out the schedule at http://hometracks.nascar.com/races/NCATS, so you can see Racin' Jason White and his #21 A&W Impala on track!
A&W food services of Canada, is Canada's original hamburger quick service restaurant chain, and today is one of its fastest growing. The first A&W drive-in restaurant in Canada opened on Portage Avenue in Winnipeg in 1956. The combination of great tasting burgers, onion rings and frosted mugs of famous A&W Root Beer served by friendly carhops was an instant hit. Since then, A&W has continued to grow and evolve with the times, expanding into over 700 locations from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland. At the heart of that growth is the fact that, while so much of our world has changed, the simple things that made A&W so popular in its early days are the same today. We still serve A&W Root Beer in frosted mugs. Our onion rings are made fresh from whole onions every day. With a rich history behind us, we look forward to an even more exciting future ahead of us. A&W is expanding all across Canada, with particular emphasis on Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic.On your way to the next NASCAR CANADIAN TIRE SERIES race, be sure to "CRUISE " into an A&W near you!! See you at the races!!
Cherry Bomb Announces New Exhaust Kits for the 2010 Camaro
The Camaro kit is only one of hundreds of new Cherry Bomb exhaust kits that are now available and in stock. In addition to the legendary Cherry Bomb Glasspack, Cherry Bomb also offers six different high performance muffler products, each created with their own unique design that provides improved horsepower and fuel savings, plus a great high performance sound including: Cherry Bomb Pro, Cherry Bomb Elite, Cherry Bomb Extreme (available in traditional Cherry Bomb red), Cherry Bomb Turbo, and the company's top-of-the-line, most technologically advanced product, the Cherry Bomb Vortex. Additionally Cherry Bomb also offers catalytic converters, a wide range of accessories, and a very popular line of apparel.
For more information about the full line of Cherry Bomb mufflers, systems and accessories, visit www.cherrybomb.com, or call 866-869-9704.
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
DIRTcar: Canadian Chris Raabe opens Sportsman Series title defense Saturday at Black Rock
Weedsport, NY – April 7, 2010 - Only Russ Hefti has got it done in the past following the Sportsman trail while legendary drivers Brett Hearn, Jack Johnson, Bob McCreadie, Alan Johnson, Will Cagle and Danny Johnson have each pulled off the feat in Big-Block/Small-Block Modified racing over the last four decades.
And that is to earn Hoosier Tire-VP Racing Fuels Mr. DIRTcar Championships in consecutive years of open-wheel racing on the Northeastern circuit.
While Western New York full-fender standout Pete Stefanski has captured the past four Mr. DIRTcar Pro Stock titles, Canadian chauffeur Chris Raabe is on the verge of wearing the overall Sportsman crown for a third straight season. Something that has never been accomplished since the blueprints for DIRTcar Racing in the Northeast were first unveiled in 1976.
“Defending our title is obviously the ultimate goal, another 20 win season would be something nice to accomplish, too” remarked Raabe, as he prepared to open defense of his coveted championship this weekend in New York State. “We’ve managed to improve every year so at this stage we just don’t want to drop back.”
Raabe is back under the spotlight Saturday, April 10 when Black Rock Speedway hosts its traditional Mr. DIRTcar Series opener to kick off the 2010 Sportsman campaign. The popular Yates County 4/10-miler, located on Route 14A just outside the village of Dundee, N.Y., comes to life for round one of the 14-race tour with a $1,000 top prize waiting for the 30-lap feature winner.
Black Rock pit gates are slated to swing open at 9am followed by 9:15 inspection with practice beginning at 10:30 and the first qualifying heat taking the green flag at 1 o’clock. The main grandstands open for seating at 11 am.
Fresh off a five-win season of tour competition, Raabe is hoping for the same results in 2010. Yet new this year will be a joint effort with north country Modified mainstay Perry Francis, as former team owner Garry McColman recently turned over the operation to Chris and his father Mike in their record-setting pursuit.
“We’ve still got the same team intact and continue to do all the maintenance,” confirmed Raabe, 19, an honor student at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario where he is taking courses toward a Mechanical Engineering degree. “Garry will still be marketing us and traveling to a lot of events, only we’re sharing all the bills with Perry now. We used to help Perry’s nephew racing go-carts and last year at Super DIRT Week put this deal together, but we’re always looking (sponsorship).”
Francis’ brand new two-tone C&B Enterprises #01 Teo Pro Car entry will also carry backing from Sunrise Racing and Genesis Racing Shocks as Raabe searches for valuable points on tour as well as running both Mohawk Int’l Raceway (Fri.) and Cornwall Motor Speedway (Sun.) on a weekly basis. Team Raabe’s proven black Teo mount from last year will be saved for Saturday shows throughout the summer at Brockville Ontario Speedway.
“We’ve never run Cornwall or Mohawk for points so this will be a new challenge,” noted Raabe, who closed out the ’09 campaign leading the DIRTcar Sportsman ranks with 19 feature wins while claiming track high-point crowns at Can-Am Motorsports Park and Thunder Alley Speedpark. The ‘Teenage Tornado’ from Napanee, Ont. currently stands 12th all-time with 50 Sportsman wins, an even half-dozen tour triumphs scored the past two years. “I’m looking forward to getting back to Cornwall, its always been a favorite with the banking and multi-grooves.”
When Black Rock welcomes back the top DIRTcar Sportsman teams to wine country for the April opener, Raabe will looking to avenge past performances in the heart of the Finger Lakes Region. Failing to qualify in the 2008 tour lid-lifter, Raabe returned last spring and finished 9th after being relegated to using his guaranteed status to fall into 27th position on the 31-car starting grid.
“We’ve just never had any luck at Black Rock,” stated Raabe, who is ready to embark upon his sixth season in DIRTcar Northeast’s entry-level open-wheel class. He scored his first victory in 2005 at Brockville at the age of 14. “Poor draws, things breaking and having bad track position have all been factors in the outcome. The biggest thing is maintenance and we’ve worked hard over the winter so we’re looking forward to getting another chance.”
Also hungry to advance in his second opportunity traveling the Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Series full-time will be 2009 runner-up Ryan Susice. The second-generation racer from Ransomville, NY. copped his inaugural series win last September at Canandaigua Speedway then returned to victory lane in October at both Fulton Speedway and Rolling Wheels Raceway during Super DIRT Week.
Joining Raabe and Susice on tour will be Top-5 runners from a year ago Justin Wright (4th) and Dan Wiesner (5th), both big movers in the final point standings. Piffard, N.Y. pilot Wright jumped five spots from the previous year with his first champ trail victory coming during the inaugural DIRTcar All-Star Weekend in July at Cayuga County fair Speedway. Central New Yorker Wiesner carved out fifth-place finishes in four tour events held at Canandaigua, Black Rock and Rolling Wheels Raceway Park to climb into fifth following a 12th-place tally on the final points chart in ’08.
For additional information, please contact Sportsman Series Competition Director Chip Burdick (315/778-3407; e-mail chip_burdick@yahoo.com) or DIRTcar NE Competition Director Joe Skotnicki (704/796-4566; jskotnicki@dirtcar.com) during normal business hours. In the meantime log into the homepage at www.dirtcar.com to find out more about the entire circuit.
2010 Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Championship Series Schedule
*All events subject to change.
DAY-DATE TRACK LOCATION
Sat-Apr 10 Black Rock Speedway Dundee,NY
Sat-Apr 17 Can-Am Motorsports Park LaFargeville,NY
Sun-Jun 13 Cornwall Motor Speedway Cornwall,ONT
Wed-Jun 23 Mohawk International Raceway Akwesasne,NY
Sat-Jul 17 Cayuga County Fair Speedway Weedsport,NY
Fri-Sep 10 Ransomville Speedway Ransomville,NY
Sat-Sep 11 Merrittville Speedway Thorold,ONT
Sun-Sep 12 Humberstone Speedway Pt.Colborne,ONT
Sat-Sep 18 Canandaigua Speedway Canandaigua,NY
Sat-Sep 25 Rolling Wheels Raceway Park Elbridge,NY
Fri-Oct 1 Fulton Speedway Fulton,NY
Fri-Oct 8 Rolling Wheels Raceway Park Elbridge,NY
Sat-Oct 9 New York State Fairgrounds Syracuse,NY
Sat-Oct 16 Brockville Ontario Speedway Brockville,ONT
ACT Tour sees invasion of teenage rookies
The 2010 American Canadian Tour (ACT) Rookie of the Year (ROTY) battle is shaping up to be one of the best in recent history. ACT will see six drivers competing for the 2010 ROTY honors, including four teenagers with a combined three career ACT starts.
The eldest of the teenage group is 18 year old Dave Farrington, Jr. of Jay, ME. Farrington, a Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Maine-Orono, finished 8th in the Pro Stock standings at Wiscasset (ME) Speedway, but has never made an ACT Tour start.
Brad Babb of Windham, ME has the best career ACT Tour finish of the ROTY contenders after finishing 6th in the 2009 season finale at Oxford Plains Speedway (Oxford, ME). It is the only ACT start for the 17 year old to date. Babb earned the 2009 Beech Ridge Motor Speedway (BRMS) Rookie of the Year title and finished sixth in the final Pro Series point standings. He also has the advantage of looking to his father, Bobby, who is a muli-time BRMS track champion.
Another 17 year old, Chris Riendeau of Ascutney, VT, will leave the comfort of his hometrack, Twin State Speedway in Claremont, NH, for the Tour in 2010. Riendeau finished fifth in the 2009 Twin State Late Model Point Standings with one feature win. He also made his only career ACT start when the Tour visited Twin State in 2009 and he finished a respectable 15th.
The youngest of the ROTY contingent is 16 year old Austin Theriault of Fort Kent, ME. This high school sophomore made the jump from the four cylinder division to Late Models at Spud Speedway (Caribou, ME) late in the 2009 season. He won the Inaugural Spud 150, his first ever feature event in a Late Model. In just his third career start in a Late Model, he qualified for his first ACT event and finished eighteenth in the season finale at Oxford Plains Speedway.
The early favorite for the 2010 ROTY title has to be multi-time Twin State Champion Aaron Fellows of Croydon, NH. In his only career ACT start he finished an impressive 9th in the 2009 Twin State 100. He also earned two weekly feature wins at Twin State in 2009.
The “veteran” of the 2010 Rookie class is Dave Paya of Milton, VT. He has the most experience of any of the rookies with his three starts on the ACT Tour in 2009 and can look to his brother Rick, the 2009 championship car owner and crew chief for Brian Hoar, for advice.
The 2010 ACT Rookie of the Year battle will begin next Saturday, April 19 at Lee USA Speedway with the annual New Hampshire Governor’s Cup 150 season opener.
From ACT
ALMS: IMSA STEWARDS RULE ON SEBRING LMPC EXCLUSIONS
IMSA stewards reinstated two LMP Challenge entries to the official results for the 58th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida – G-Oil’s Green Earth Team Gunnar and Level 5 Motorsports. The decision elevates the ORECA FLM09 of Green Earth Team Gunnar to the runner-up spot in class and Level 5 Motorsports’ second entry to sixth for the opening round of the 2010 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón.
The championship’s sanctioning body requested the review. At issue was a new rule for 2010 that permits drivers in the LMPC class to compete in more than one entry and how officials calculate minimum drive-time for an event – two hours in the case of Sebring. The stewards judged the rule to be ambiguous and open to interpretation; it did not specify if minimum drive-times are recorded in a single entry or multiple cars. The rule was also unclear as to the application of penalties in the case of a driver in multiple cars. As both exclusions were based on the same regulation, the stewards rescinded the penalties for both cars.
Official race results and points standings reflecting this decision have been reissued. A rule clarification will be issued shortly.
Courtesy ALMS
The book on 30 years of Audi Sport
Motorsport has always been a means for Audi to develop forward-thinking and efficient technologies which are relevant to customers as well. For 30 years, Audi Sport has been making history in the world of motorsport. Now a fascinating book presents this history to readers: "30 Years of Audi Sport – 30 Years of quattro" will be available from mid-April in German and English.
It is no coincidence that Audi Sport and the quattro celebrate a common anniversary in 2010: in 1980, the first Audi quattro marked the beginning of the successful motorsport history of the brand with the four rings which author Alexander von Wegner describes in detail in the 208-page volume. His research took him into the depths of the Audi archive. In addition, he interviewed all of the former top managers of Audi Sport and many well-known driver personalities from all of the different eras. The current Head of Audi Motorsport, Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, has contributed extensive information as well.
The work represents the first comprehensive appraisal of Audi Sport’s history. Each era is analyzed and illustrated by a total of 400 mostly colored pictures some of which have not been published before – including a unique historic document that shows the first twelve employees of Audi Sport in front of the former supermarket on the (then) Ringlerstrasse in Ingolstadt which is still home to the Audi Sport department today. All of the race vehicles were developed there – from the original quattro that was later renamed into "R1" all the way to the current Audi R8 LMS that bears the internal project name "R16." All vehicles are depicted in detailed, large-sized graphical representations and schematic drawings that bring back memories of Audi Sport’s most spectacular inventions.
Whether quattro drive, light-weight design or the combination of turbo-charging and direct injection (TFSI) – many of the technologies that are standard in Audi production models today were tested in motorsport. Comprehensive statistics reflecting the results of all "factory" commitments over the past three decades complement the work. The introduction to the book was written by Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich and Rupert Stadler, the Chairman of the Management Board of Audi AG, wrote a foreword.
"30 Years of Audi Sport – 30 Years of quattro" will be available from April 12, at bookstores and from an online ordering facility for 29.90 euros (including VAT).
Brief description: 30 Years of Audi Sport – 30 Years of quattro; author: Alexander von Wegner (40); volume: 208 pages; size: 235 x 330 mm; 405 photographs and eleven large-sized graphical vehicle depictions; price: 29.90 euros; ISBN numbers: 978-3-940672-22-3 (German edition), 978-3-940672-23-0 (English edition); publication date: April 12, 2010.
Courtesy Audi AG
F2000 Series Set to Open 2010 at VIR
New York, NY – The F2000 Championship Series heads to VIRginia International Raceway this weekend for the opening rounds of the 2010 championship. More than 30 cars are entered for the double-race weekend representing four different chassis manufacturers and two different engine configurations. A field of young hopefuls and established veterans make up an ultra competitive grid. Coming into the weekend, 2007 F2000 Champion Cole Morgan is one of the favorites to win the event, back for the first time since he won the championship. Alongside Morgan in the odds pool is Remy Audette, the quick Canadian contesting his third season in the series.
Fabio Orsolon and Victor Carbone return for their sophomore year with Alegra Motorsports, and as the 2009 season went on, they continued to move up the time sheets. With the same team and same drivers, the Alegra duo should be fast.
"The goal for me is to win the championship," said Carbone who returns in his #23 Nevoni Van Diemen/Zetec, surrounded by a familiar cast of mechanics and engineers. "Last year was tough, but we made a ton of progress throughout the season, and I think we'll be going into 2010 even more competitive."
American Jonathan Scarallo is driving for R-Sport in his sophomore campaign and commented that, "there is certainly going to be no lack of competition at VIR this year. There are a lot of us that are capable of winning."
Established veterans like Phil Lombardi and Tim Minor are sure to be in the hunt for the overall title as well. Both return for a full-season after partial campaigns in 2009 that saw both men win outright races; Lombardi at Watkins Glen and Minor at Summit Point. As for as the rookie class, Billy McLaughlin is driving alongside Cole Morgan at K-Hill Motorsports and stands to benefit from the guidance of a past champion. Rookie team SMR adds two cars to the mix, one for midget and sprint car driver Timothy Paul, and one for Blake Teeter, starting his sophomore F2000 season alongside Paul.
Teeter commented: "2009 was my rookie year in the series and it was a learning year. To transition from karting to cars was difficult. This year I'm only going to focus on this series instead of the karting. In 2010, I really want to stay on the limit and get everything out of the car and myself that I can."
Vaughn Horvath and Chris Livengood will also be in the hunt for the Taylor Race Engineering Rookie of the Year award, and the two represent the only two Pinto-powered cars on the grid. Jesse Yorio will debut his Piper DF5C in the VIR paddock, making him the owner of the newest F2000 car on the grid and the only Piper chassis in the field. Christopher Gumprecht returns to St. Clair Motorsports for his fourth season in the series. Gumprecht said that his focus in 2010 will be on being consistent, and added he wouldn't mind a podium finish or two either. A late entry from Primus Racing pushes the field to 35 cars for up-and-coming Australian driver Daniel Erickson. Last year, Erickson was named the Australian Motor Sport Foundation 2009 International Star, and scored one win and seven podiums in the British Formula Ford Championship.
The season unofficially gets going on Thursday April 8 with a test day for the F2000 Series, Friday features official practice sessions, while Saturday and Sunday both have a morning qualifying session followed by an afternoon 30-minute or 14-lap race. Fans and competitors can follow live updates, news and photos on www.F2000ChampionshipSeries.com or on Twitter @F2000.
Courtesy Monty Mathisen (F2000)
Grand-Am: Multimatic carrying momentum to Barber
Markham, ON - The Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang Boss 302R Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge squad heads to Barber Motorsports Park (April 9-10) with its sights set on turning outright speed into race victories. With both cars proven to be extremely competitive at the previous round at Homestead Miami Speedway, the team is encouraged heading into the third race of the 2010 championship.
Scott Maxwell, Joe Foster and Multimatic Motorsports know the way to victory lane at the immaculately presented 2.3-mile Barber Motorsports Park circuit near Birmingham, Alabama. The duo won from pole position in 2008 aboard a Multimatic Motorsports-run Hypersport Racing Ford Mustang FR500C. Following a dominant performance at Homestead where Maxwell and Foster led 40 laps en route to a sixth place finish, the duo is looking to build on that strong run and hoping for a repeat of their 2008 performance at the Alabama track.
Teammates, Gunnar Jeannette and Frankie Montecalvo, are looking to bounce back into podium contention after mechanical issues put an early end to their previous two races. The drivers of the #16 Bayshore Recycling car remain optimistic however, knowing that the Ford Mustang Boss 302R is very competitive as proven by their speed at Daytona and Homestead while running with the leading group.
Leading-up to the Barber Motorsports Park event, Multimatic Motorsports, working in conjunction with Ford Racing, has been conducting development testing at Calabogie Motorsports Park near Ottawa, Ontario, with primary focus on improving cooling performance of the Boss 302R powerplant. Multimatic recently formed a strategic partnership with Calabogie Motorsports Park to provide comprehensive vehicle development services to motorsports customers and major automobile manufacturers.
The Multimatic Motorsports team will be on track at Barber starting Wednesday for a promoter test day before taking part in two practice sessions on Thursday, April 8. The team will then get a final practice session on Friday, April 9 at 9:00 a.m. ET before qualifying at 10:50 a.m. ET. The Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge from Barber Motorsports Park goes green on Saturday, April 10 at 4:00 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on tape-delay on SPEEDTV April 17, 2010 at 3 p.m. ET.
Multimatic Motorsports Quoteboard:
Scott Maxwell, #15 Ford Mustang Boss 302R - "I've had some good success at Barber and have always been pretty quick there. It's a fun little circuit, busy place. Hopefully we can carry forward this momentum and make some more improvements with the car and keep moving up. It's hard to say how the Mustang Boss 302R will perform at Barber. There are a lot of low speed hairpin corners and that's our weak point right now on the car. So I really don't know what to expect."
Joe Foster, #15 Ford Mustang Boss 302R - "The last time we were at Barber was in 2008 with Hypersport Racing. I got the pole there that year and led most of the first half and Scotty had a great drive and we won in the Ford Mustang FR500C. Now we are going back at a much different time of year, earlier in the springtime. It shouldn't be quite as hot as it usually is and so much has changed in the Series in terms of other cars since we've been there so I don't know how the Boss 302R will stack up, we'll have to wait and see."
Frankie Montecalvo, #16 Bayshore Recycling Ford Mustang Boss 302R - "I raced at Barber in the past with Gunnar so I won't have to learn the track. It's a challenging place and I'm looking forward to competing there in the Mustang Boss 302R. We have not had the start of the season we wanted and we're really looking to finish the race at Barber and have a trouble-free run. We know the car is competitive, now we just need to get it to the finish and if we do, it should be with a good result."
Gunnar Jeannette, #16 Bayshore Recycling Ford Mustang Boss 302R - "Honestly right now going into Barber, Frankie and I just want to finish a race. It was good to see Scotty and Joe finish sixth at Homestead. We know the car is strong and if we finish we would likely be in the top ten and hopefully top five or on the podium. Barber is a challenging place. It's nice going there in April instead of July, just because it won't be so hot. Overall it's not a great Mustang track but we'll see what happens, the Mustangs always seem to end up doing well in the race."
Courtesy Multimatic Motorsports
Adam Leslie continues partnership with Westpier Marine and Industrial and Lazy Lakes Camping Resort.
Niagara’s Lazy Lakes is owned and operated by the Swift family. We are excited to welcome everyone to our 24th anniversary season. Located in the Town of Cambria in Lockport, NY, we think we are the best kept secret in Western New York. Niagara’s Lazy Lakes Resort is a private recreational vehicle resort for those who are looking for the finest facilities. With 285 RV sites and nine first class cabins situated on our 80 acre resort, the accommodations fit everyone’s dream get away.
Adam Leslie and team would like to thank these two great sponsors for coming back on board for the 2010 racing season!
http://www.adamleslie.com/
Kawartha Speedway 2010 - Every Racer Finds Their Time to Shine
A combination of special events and extra distance shows for the track’s 3 weekly divisions means Kawartha Speedway’s 10th Anniversary season has something to satisfy any race fan’s need for speed. General Manager and promoter Derek Lynch says he likes the way things are looking for the upcoming campaign.
“We’re in a very fortunate position heading into the new season,” said Lynch. “Our car counts last year were very strong and it looks like we’ll have at least 3 – possibly as many as 5 – new teams coming on board in each class. They’re looking at our 10 race schedule as a great chance to get some experience at one of the country’s finest motorsports facilities, while competing alongside some of the best racers in the province.”
When the 2010 season kicks-off – Friday, June 4th – the popular OSCAAR Outlaw Super Late Models will make the first of two scheduled stops at the 3/8th mile oval. Their second appearance comes Friday, August 6th. The Ontario Legends Tour finds their way onto the calendar for a quartet of events. Friday, June 25th, July 23rd, August 27th and September 10th. For their 4th and final event, they’ll be joined by the Ontario Pro Challenge Series.
Again this year, runners in Kawartha’s weekly classes will host a series of invitational events to showcase their talents. The highlight of the NAPA Auto Parts Late Model season will be the Summer Sizzler Friday, July 9th. This year’s edition will be 150 total laps, run in 3 segments. The division will also host 100 lappers Friday, June 18th and Friday, August 13th.
The Better Carpet Thunder Cars will have a pair of 50 lappers on the schedule. Friday, July 23rd and Friday, August 27th. There will also be 50 lap main events for the Hasiuk Trailer and Container Rental Mini Stocks. The first – Friday, July 16th – will be in conjunction with the annual Fan Appreciation Night. Friday, September 10th will be second time the 4 cylinder machines will run for the extended distance. Lynch says the track’s weekly racers look forward to the longer shows.
“We get drivers and teams from other tracks for the invitational shows and our regulars look forward to the chance to defend their home turf,” said Lynch. “When it comes to going head-to-head against the invaders, it’s like the 7th game of the Stanley Cup final, the Super Bowl and the World Series rolled into one event. Our teams will do everything they can to come out on top. When it comes to short track racing, bragging rights mean so much.”
Kawartha Speedway’s 2010 campaign gets rolling with an open practice session Friday, May 28th. The full 10th Anniversary season schedule can be found at www.kawarthaspeedway.com.
Photo: Solid runs at Kawartha Speedway helped Bruce Grimes earn a second place finish in the 2009 Ontario Legends standings.
Photos and Release by Jim Clarke- Clarke Motorsports Communications
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
NLSA Driver Chris Unrau Spreads Good Will
Greg Cybulski, WINKLER, MB (April 4, 2010) In August of 2006, a unique event took place in Winkler, Manitoba. More than 100 combines harvested 180 acres simultaneously in just over 10 minutes. The event was called Harvest for Kids. In 2010, the combines are making a return with an even bigger challenge, to have 210 combines harvesting 240 acres in less than 8 minutes. The true goal of Harvest for Kids is to raise funds and awareness for Children's Camps International, a non-denominational organization that seeks to give kids in third world countries the opportunity to experience camp and to hear the message of the Gospel.
In an effort to help support and promote this year's Harvest for Kids event, Chris Unrau's #27 Lightning Sprint will be carrying the Harvest for Kids logo and event information for the first half of the Northern Lightning Sprint Association racing schedule at Red River Co-op Speedway. Unrau's car will also be displayed at numerous events in Southern Manitoba to help promote the Harvest for Kids program while representing the NLSA.
"We are excited to be a part of this effort to help send kids to camp in countries where these opportunities are rare, if they exist at all", said Unrau. "We would like to encourage all of our fans to attend the Harvest for Kids event on August 7, and to give generously to help send kids to camp."
Harvest for Kids will take place at Winkler, Manitoba on August 7, 2010. For more information, please go to the Harvest for Kids website at http://harvestforkids.com
About the Northern Lightning Sprint Association:
Created in September of 2008, the Northern Lightning Sprint Association is a rapidly growing organization committed to the creation and maintenance of safe, fast, fun, and affordable open wheel racing. Many of the organization’s members are dedicated to helping charities such as the Children’s Hospital Foundation and Cancer Care of Manitoba. More information can be found at http://www.nlsprints.com
Sports Car Club of BC: Pit Pass Newsletter - April 2010
The April 2010 edition of the Sports Car Club of BC's Pit Pass Newsletter is located here. Thanks to Peter Weedon for sending it along.
F2: Jolyon Palmer tops the opening F2 test day
19-year-old Jolyon Palmer topped the opening F2 test of 2010, as the young Briton headed both Philipp Eng and Johan Jokinen at Snetterton today (Tuesday). Palmer set the ultimate pace in the final hour of the day as Eng finally relinquished top spot, which he had held for much of the running. The Austrian tried to respond and became the only driver to dip under the one minute barrier in both the morning and afternoon, but he fell short of Palmer's effort by just 0.155s.
Danish driver Johan Jokinen completed his rise through the top ten by taking third late on, whilst Dean Stoneman's morning lap time of 59.951s remained good enough for fourth overall at the finish. Will Bratt - who recently contested the GP2 Asia Series - was a consistent top six runner throughout the day and ended up fifth fastest ahead of Kelvin Snoeks. Dutchman Snoeks improved as the day progressed and eventually set his quickest time on his 99th and final lap.
Belgium's Benjamin Bailly was seventh, ahead of Sergey Afanasiev - the Russian making progress late on during his first day of driving a Williams JPH1B. 2009 F2 returnees Tom Gladdis and Armaan Ebrahim completed the top ten, whilst Formula Palmer Audi graduate Jose Alonso Liste and F2 debutant Mihai Marinescu finished in 11th and 12th respectively.
Alonso Liste completed an impressive 110 laps during the day - the most of any driver - but it was a positive day for the majority of runners, as more than 1,800 laps and 5,600 kms were clocked during the season's opening pre-season test day.
Jolyon Palmer said: "It was a good lap - I had the pace for the whole day so it was nice to end on top of the timesheets. Track conditions weren't perfect but the car certainly feels better than last year. That is two test days that I have topped now so my expectations are certainly changing - hopefully that will continue and that I can be a challenger for the championship."
Philipp Eng said: "I am happy with the day - I was quickest in the morning and also went quick in the afternoon. I had some red flags just after I had put new tyres on the car in the afternoon, but it is not a problem. It is good that we're up there but really I was not focussing too much on the time. The season is very long so I am concentrating on developing the car further and improving as much as possible."
The field will enjoy a further four hours of running tomorrow (Wednesday) and the Formula Two website will be back with live timing and reports from 9am (UK time).
Formula Two Test - Snetterton, United Kingdom 6/7 April - Day One Combined Results:
1. Jolyon Palmer, 59.512s
2. Philipp Eng, +0.155s
3. Johan Jokinen, +0.342s
4. Dean Stoneman, +0.439s
5. Will Bratt, +0.540s
6. Kelvin Snoeks, +0.542s
7. Benjamin Bailly, +0.550s
8. Sergey Afanasiev, +0.754s
9. Tom Gladdis, +0.809s
10. Armaan Ebrahim, +0.900s
Courtesy Simon Melluish (F2)
NHRA: Canadian Kenny Lang looking for more Pro Mod success, in Houston
BAYTOWN, TX – Canadian Kenny Lang, a veteran Pro Mod racer who has won his share of races and series titles in other drag racing organizations, made history in March as the first Pro Mod racer to ever raise a Wally – NHRA’s highly-coveted national event winner’s trophy – in an NHRA winner’s circle.
Lang flew under the radar by qualifying sixth in his green ’53 Corvette, but he ultimately raced to victory over Sweden’s Michael Gullqvist in the Tire Kingdom Gatornationals final round to win the inaugural race in NHRA’s newest touring series – the Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.
Now Lang’s focus is on race No. 2 in the 10-race series, when the tour visits Houston Raceway Park, April 9-11 for the 23rd annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil. The race will be televised on ESPN2 HD.
“Looking at the caliber of cars in this series, our goal was to just try and qualify and maybe win a round or two,” Lang said. “I’m super-honored to be the first winner.”
While category heavy-hitters like Ray Commisso, Jay Payne, Roger Burgess, Melanie Troxel, Burton Auxier, Mike Knowles, Von Smith and Danny Rowe will be eager to grab their first Wally in NHRA Pro Mod competition at the ultra-quick HRP quarter-mile, Lang feels confident in his team’s ability to stay in the championship hunt throughout the season.
“I’ve won two IHRA championships, so I have some experience, but I know it’s going to be tough over here in this series,” Lang said. “We know what we’re up against, but we do our best. We’re probably one of the lower-funded teams in this series, but we do this because we love it.”
Featuring the world’s fastest and most unique doorslammer cars with an extremely diverse collection of vehicles, including ’63 Corvettes, ’68 Camaros, ’67 Mustangs, ’68 Firebirds as well as late model cars such as Burgess’ 2005 Corvette, the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series offers something for every kind of hot-rodding enthusiast.
“These cars are on the edge all the time, and they can move all over the racetrack, and that’s something the fans love,” Lang said. “(At Gainesville) a lot of fans came over and told us they love watching the Pro Mods. I think we put on a pretty good show.”
• SCHEDULE: Get Screened America qualifying sessions are scheduled for 1:15 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. on April 9 and 1:15 p.m. and 4 p.m. on April 10. Pro Mod eliminations are scheduled to begin at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 11.
NHRA GET SCREENED AMERICA PRO MOD DRAG RACING SERIES POINT STANDINGS
UPDATED 3/14/2010 (Following the first of 10 races; victories in parentheses)
1. Kenny Lang, Manitoba, Canada, Kenny Lang Racing ’53 Corvette (1) 99
2. Michael Gullqvist, Hasselby, Sweden, ProCareRX ’63 Corvette 77
3. Burton Auxier, Dixie, W.Va., Al-Anabi Racing ’68 Camaro 68
4. Khalid Balooshi, Doha, Qatar, Al-Anabi Racing ’68 Camaro 66
5. Roger Burgess, Duluth, Ga., ProCareRX Corvette 60
6. Jay Payne, Ontario, Calif., FireIce ’68 Camaro 59
7. Melanie Troxel, Avon, Ind., In-N-Out Burger ’63 Corvette 58
8. Joe Baker, Milton, Fla., Baker Homes ’63 Corvette 54
9. Mike Knowles, Grand Junction, Colo., Knowles Racing ’63 Corvette 45
10t. Troy Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, JEGS.com ’68 Camaro 43
10t. Tony Pontieri, Ontario, Canada, Quality Plus Compressors ’69 Camaro 43
10t. Tim Tindle, Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., Tindle Racing ’67 Mustang 43
From Anthony Vestal / NHRA
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