Dirt From The Stands, by Greg Cybulski

A Prairie Dirt Family Christmas (2006)

Well race fans, here we are are once again, relaxing in the warmth of a quiet evening's glow with the anticipation of another Christmas season upon us. I sit before this keyboard with my favorite glass of yuletide cheer and Christmas carols playing in the background. As I look back to the year that was, I realize that one common theme keeps rising and that is family.

There are different families in our lives. My immediate family consists of spouse Heather, son Aaron and daughter Brandi, mom Joyce, dad Edward and brother Gord. There are others in my life as well, however, the newest is my racing family. If I made a list of everyone who has touched my life in racing in the past 5 years, I think I would have to fit them all in the grandstands of Knoxville Raceway.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been a part of and supported Prairie Dirt over the past five years. It has been an incredible ride for my family and I as we have had the pleasure of meeting many wonderful people in the racing community.

Some we have personally met and have grown strong friendships with, some we have corresponded with while others, sadly, we have lost far too soon.

Some of my personal highlights of the 2006 racing season included taking a ride in a stock car at Richard Petty's Driving Experience at Walt Disney World, Florida in March. Even doing 3 laps gives one an appreciation of the speed and power these cars possess on a race track.

Regretfully, my next experience was preparing a tribute for fallen friend, Fred Brownfield which was read at Estevan Motor Speedway on July 1 by track announcer Pat Boyle prior to the NOSA Sprint feature. Pat delivered the tribute page with a reverence and feeling that the fans in attendance could appreciate. As I stood in turn 4, listening and reflecting, I looked up at the clear Saskatchewan sky, and somehow I knew that Fred was there with us and giving his approval.Once again, the good folks at Estevan Motor Speedway showed why EMS is one of my favorite stops to see dirt track racing with their awesome hospitality and family-oriented atmosphere.

Congratulations to Guy Budel and the crew at Red River Co-op Speedway for putting on a first class race night for the fans at the 2nd annual NAPA Auto Parts Mid-Canada Sprint Car Challenge here in Winnipeg. They were really looking after the fans who had to park out on Highway 75 with a shuttle service to and from the speedway. Now that's service! Thanks again to the good folks at NAPA Auto Parts for their continued support of this special race event.

Race fans, mark your calendars! The 3rd annual NAPA Auto Parts Mid-Canada Sprint Car Challenge is set for Thursday, July 12 and promises to be bigger and better than ever. Sprint Car fans can look forward to the debut of the father and son team of Lou Kennedy Jr and son Thomas. Thomas will make his Sprint Car debut in Winnipeg and run a limited schedule before taking over the famous 21k Sprinter full time in 2008. Also confirmed is Fargo, North Dakota's first lady, Natalie Sather, who with legendary veteran crew chief Kenny Woodruff should provide for more excitement at Winnipeg's premier race event.

Congratulations to the new kids on the block in 360 sprint car racing on a successful inaugural season. The ASCS Northern Plains Region headed by Chuck Zitterich made some waves in 2006 with shows in the southern part of the Upper Midwest. Brainerd, MN appears to be a good stop for the N.P. as they have 4 races slated for 2007, including the much publicized ASCS National Tour.

The Northern Outlaw Sprint Association membership celebrated a series of firsts in 2006. Scott Butz captured the NOSA points title for the first time in 2006 with strong consistent performances. Dave Sobczak, Casey Mack, John Lambertz picked up their first NOSA-sanctioned feature wins on the NOSA Sprint Tour. Lambertz's win came at a new stop for NOSA at Dakota State Fair Speedway in Huron, SD.

What a year for Mark Dobmeier. His stock as a driver just keeps going up. Not only did he dominate at his home track of River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, ND, but he consistently showed strong performances all season long at other tracks including Huset's Speedway and Knoxville Raceway. He capped off the season with his first World of Outlaws feature win, subbing for the first time in Brooke Tatnell's seat at Wilmot Speedway, WI. This was Mark's first time to Wilmot. This reporter can't wait to see what he does for an encore in 2007.

Congratulations to Schatz Motorsports on not only winning the World of Outlaws points title in 2006, but for winning the highest honor in 410 Sprint Car racing, the Knoxville Nationals.
Looks like Ken Pelkie and Ohsweken Speedway have a winning formula going in Ontario with another successful 360 Sprint venture following the 2nd Annual Canadian Sprint Car Nationals in mid-September. It's good to see Sprint Car racing growing north of the border as it is.
Another highlight of 2006 was being interviewed by Darren Pallen for the sprint car special edition of Prairie Dirt Digest podcast.

In that interview I had stated the priorities in my life, that being family and the family business and the importance of them to me. Right now, it is my intention to devote more time to the family business.

Having said that, I am announcing that I will not be actively involved in the promotion of sprint car racing for the 2007 racing season. Does this mean the end of what I have started? Hardly. I will continue to keep my finger on the pulse of the racing scene and return with a refreshed outlook following my leave of absence.

I will continue to run Prairie Dirt (2005) in it's current form, showcasing open wheel racing in Canada ,in our region, and in Australia during our off-season, however, I will not pursue any other additional duties at this time.

There is a place in Manitoba where a majesty of diverse wild ground, all creatures great and small and a man's soul come together as one. This is my refuge from the daily battle in the concrete jungle called the city. If I am nowhere to be found, that is where I will be. My little peace on earth, God's Country.

On behalf of the Cybulski family, I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and many Blessings in the New Year.

God willing, I will see all my racing friends at a dirt track again in 2007.

Take care and good racing,Greg Cybulski

CANADIAN MOTORSPORT HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES 2006 INDUCTEES

NOVEMBER 2006 (Toronto) The Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame (CMHF) announced the nine finalists to be inducted into the Hall at an award ceremony at the 14th annual black tie Gala on Saturday, February 10, 2007 in Toronto.

This year s inductees come from a variety of racing disciplines and are being recognized for their outstanding accomplishments and contributions to Canadian racing. Nominations for induction are accepted by the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame s Nomination Committee, which carefully scrutinizes all submissions for accuracy. Complete nominations are then forwarded to the Selection Committee which is comprised of a national panel of automotive and racing journalists and historians who make a selection based on overall accomplishments and contributions to Canadian motorsport.

The 2006 inductees are:

Bob Atchison // Builder // Drag Racing
Alec Bennett // Competitor // Motorcycle Racing
John Bird and Bruce Simpson // Competitors // Rally Racing
John Duff // Competitor // Oval and Road Racing
Lorne Leibel // Competitor // Boat Racing
Dan Marisi and Jacques Dallaire // Builders // All
Ted Powell // Competitor/Builder // Road Racing
Lloyd Shaw // Competitor/Builder // Oval Track Racing
Robert Theoret // Competitor // Boat Racing

Thom Dickinson, President and Chairman of the Board of CMHF says, The reason the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame exists is to honour the special men and women who have contributed to making Canada one of the world s great racing nations. We are very excited to announce the newest list of outstanding Canadians, who, through their notable achievements, have contributed to Canada s racing heritage and have left their stamp on Canadian motorsport.

The gala ceremony and dinner, including a Silent Auction, will be held at the Sheraton Centre Toronto located at 123 Queen Street. Individual tickets are $220 each, and a table of 10 can be purchased for $2,200. Tickets purchased prior to December 31, 2006 are $195 each and a table of 10 is $1,950. Tickets may be purchased by calling 905-876-2454, or by visiting the CMHF website at www.cmhf.ca.

The Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame makes up one of the largest motorsport collections in Canada, housing more than 20 racing cars, boats and motorcycles. It also holds an extensive archival collection, some of which will be on display at the annual induction dinner.

The Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame was established in 1993 to honour and recognize the achievements of those who have made significant contributions to Canada s rich and colourful motorsport history. Since its inception, more than 125 people have been inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame including Greg Moore, Scott Goodyear and the legendary Gilles Villeneuve. In 1999, the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame combined with the Canadian Automotive Collection and operates as a charitable organization that is funded by in-house events, individual donations and corporate sponsorships.

- 30 -

Individual biographies available upon request.
For further information contact:
Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame
Tim Miller 905-876-2454

ITMN Subscription... a great gift idea!

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STICKY POST: This will be headlined until end of day on Nov. 29. Please see below for news.

CASCAR on TV: Barrie opener on SPEED

WATCH THE GO-RACING.CA 300 from BARRIE SPEEDWAY on SATURDAY DECEMBER 2ND at 3:00PM on SPEED!

And if you're interested in purchasing a DVD Box Set of the entire 2006 CASCAR Super Series season, send a note to Joel Robinson.

CBC: Changes at Headz Gamez

The CBC has a story on its website about Headz Gamez Int'l.

The company was involved in sponsoring CASCAR Super Series teams and events in 2006.

From the CBC story:

"A megaproject promising to bring 1,500 factory jobs to Parrsboro appears to be in jeopardy.
Residents had been told their small town on the Minas Basin would be headquarters for a board game empire, but they learned Tuesday the project's champion has resigned.
(CBC)Headz Gamez International, which produces sports-themed board games, now says it's reviewing its Nova Scotia operations following the resignation of its president and majority owner, Kerry Martens."

... story continued at the link above.

ACT RETURNS TO CANADA

This is very interesting. Talk about "Back to the Future".
I'm hearing that people are being told that the former CASCAR Sportsman Series won't happen in 2007. One team owner said he's converting his operation to ACT. And now I can see why.

****************************
Waterbury, VT – After a ten year absence, the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) will be returning to Canadian racing on a regular basis in 2007. With the recent announcement of an ACTion Super Series race at Ontario’s Kawartha Speedway, and the finalization of negotiations with Quebec race teams and promoters north of the border, the Vermont-based group has announced it will manage and administer the very popular and successful Quebec Late Model Série in 2007.
Quebec racing is deeply rooted in northern New England stock car history. “La Belle Province” has produced many notable competitors, including the great Jean-Paul Cabana, André Many, Marcel Goddard, and Claude Aubin, among others, who were mainstays at the former Catamount Stadium (Milton, VT) and Thunder Road (Barre, VT) in the 1960s. Quebec racing at Vermont tracks and at Maine’s Oxford Plains Speedway continued with Quebec City’s Langis Caron, while Claude Leclerc and Roger Laperle from the Montreal area, and a host of drivers, were among the foundation of the ACT Pro Stock Tour years later.
Nearly 30 “new breed” Quebec racers and teams attending a recent organizational meeting in Drummondville, Qc learned that ACT will promote and manage the Quebec Late Model Série next year. ACT president Tom Curley said, “We feel very lucky to be able to work with many old friends and some new young talent. Donald Forte, in cooperation with the Quebec promoters did a very good job establishing this touring series. Our job is to help make it grow and have a lot of fun along the way. The Quebec Late Model Series fits our regional business plan perfectly. Universal rules, inexpensive race costs and affordable ticket prices will be our goal in Quebec, just like in New England.”
ACT has formed a 12-race schedule for the coming season that will compete at five venues. Included on the card will be two very popular ACTion Super Series events. The Series will open at Ralph Nason’s Autodrome Montmagny Speedway, a 3/8ths mile high-banked oval in May and close with the Cari-all 300 at the historic Autodrome St-Eustache near Montreal, a 4/10ths mile oval owned by former champion, Claude Aubin. Also on the docket will be stops at Autodrome Circuit Chaudiere, a track that ACT’s Curley consulted on, which is a favorite of fans and race teams. The 5/8ths mile Autodrome Ste-Croix, located near Quebec City, will host a pair of Quebec Late Model Série events as well as an ACTion Super Series race. Ontario’s Capital City Speedway, which has also introduced the ACT Late Model rules package, will hold the lone event outside the province. The second ACTion Super Series race will be at Aubin’s Autodrome St-Eustache.
Claude Leclerc, a 30+ year racing veteran was pleased with the information he heard at the meeting, “Saturday was a great day for Quebec racing. Tom Curley presented a good schedule and very good purses. It will be good for every driver. Having ACT will bring stability, a good foundation – Tom has been in the business for over 30 years and his plans aren’t just for the short term,” the Montreal-based driver finished.
“We are very proud that ACT is coming to Quebec,” affirmed Donald Theetge of Boischatel, near Quebec City. “The rules will put everyone on the same playing field, which will allow us to race across the Northeast without changing the car. Now I can go to Oxford for the `250’ and the ACT Tour race at Kawartha. I’ve raced at Kawartha and it’s a great track,” said the 2006 Quebec Series Champion.
Daniel Bergeron of St. Benoit, Quebec was planning to run a couple of ACT Tour events next year, but with the organization’s recent announcement that it will return to Quebec in 2007, he’s changing his plans, “I think I’m going to stay closer to home,” the 40 year-old driver stated. “The meeting was very informative, and the schedule’s good, as are the rules which will allow me the chance to run against other drivers in some of the big races in the US.”
Louis Larue, president of RPQ, the Quebec Late Model driver’s organization echoed the competitor’s thoughts, “We are very proud to have ACT here in the province of Quebec. Tom Curley has over 35 years of knowledge in the sport and having him bring this to our racing is a positive move.”

Schedule - Quebec Late Model Série
# Date Day Track Event
1 May 19 Sat Autodrome Montmagny Montmagny 100
2 May 26 Sat Autodrome St-Eustache Ste Eustache 100
3 June 9 Sat Capital City Speedway Ottawa 100
4 June 16 Sat Autodrome Montmagny Montmagny 100
5 June 23/24 Sa/Su Circuit Ste-Croix Ste Croix 200 (ACT/Que Combo Super Series)
6 June 29 Fri Autodrome Chaudiere Chaudiere 100
7 July 24 Tue Circuit Ste-Croix Ste-Croix 100 (4 x 25)
8 July 28 Sat Autodrome St-Eustache Ste Eustache 200 (ACT/Que Combo Super Series)
9 Aug 11 Sat Circuit Ste-Croix Ste-Croix 100
10 Aug 17 Fri Autodrome Chaudiere Chaudiere 100
11 Aug 25/26 Sa/Su Autodrome Montmagny Montmagny 250
12 Sep 22/23 Sa/Su Autodrome St-Eustache Ste Eustache Cari-all 300
Subject to change

Bobby Allison making an appearance in Ancaster, Ontario on Dec. 1

The Ancaster News has a story containing the news that legendary NASCAR driver Bobby Allison will make a promotional appearance at a store in Ancaster, Ontario on Friday, Dec. 1.

McIntosh's open-wheel talents continue to shine in Europe

Courtesy Stuart Morrison Public Relations

Tuesday 21 November, 2006 - Vancouver's Sean McIntosh relished another successful season abroad as he raced his way to a sixth place finish in the 2006 World Series by Renault. Once again, he was Canada's sole open-wheel racing representative competing in Europe, Formula One's proving ground, were he tackled legendary circuits such as Monaco, Le Mans and Spa-Francorchamps, not to mention 29 equally ambitious international rivals, along the way.

McIntosh's debut in the World Series by Renault followed two decorated seasons in the United Kingdom where he showcased his talents outside North America for the first time by winning the 2004 'Graduate Cup' for top rookie driver in the Formula Renault UK Championship before multiple wins and a championship challenge followed in 2005.

It was a natural progression for the 21-year-old to remain in Renault's open-wheel development ladder in 2006. Following his 2005 Formula Renault UK season, McIntosh proved his talents with more powerful equipment over the 2005-2006 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport winter season, notably with a victory for A1 Team Canada. A move into the World Series by Renault with the Belgian-based KTR squad duly followed. The Canadian would this time be testing his skills with a 425bhp Formula Renault 3.5 single-seater car.

"We set out at the beginning of the year to try and finish in the top-ten at the very minimum and hopefully get a few podiums and possibly a win," McIntosh reflected. "I was disadvantaged by not having had any winter testing with my new team. So, heading into the first pre-season tests in March and April, I was on the back foot a little and it's a big step going from the Formula Renault 2.0-litre car to the 3.5-litre World Series car. That said, looking back at the end of the season, to come away as the highest ranked Formula Renault 2.0-litre graduate is pretty pleasing as the competition level was exceptionally high."

"I'd definitely class 2006 as a successful season for me," he continued. "I scored a couple of podiums and took my first pole at the final round in Barcelona. It would be easy to say that I should have scored a couple of wins at Donington, and if it hadn't been for one or two other issues we could have ended up fighting for a championship as I was a regular top-five runner. But, at the end of the day others could argue the exact same thing. More important to me is the fact that I showed I was quick throughout the season and was capable of competing successfully at this level."

Acknowledging his time served racing in the United Kingdom proved useful as a foundation for stepping up into the World Series by Renault, one of Sean's biggest challenges was learning eight new European circuits with England's Donington Park the only track he'd experienced prior to the start of the season.

Recalling this Sean remarked, "My two seasons competing in the UK were undoubtedly a great learning experience but the venues we raced at weren't necessarily on the same level as the ones I had to face up to this season. You definitely step up when you start racing at places like Monaco, Nurburgring, Spa and Barcelona. I grew up watching races at these circuits on television so to get the chance to actually race on them was fantastic but each time out I was faced with the challenge of having to learn the track. I've done it so many times now that it's not something I let bother me but you could see how comfortable I was when we raced at Donington in England, I was on the pace immediately as I knew the track well from my time in the UK."

Sean's rookie season in the World Series by Renault netted two podium finishes, the first being a second place finish in Round 5 at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium back in July, followed later by a third place finish in Round 9's season-finale in Barcelona, Spain at the end of October.

In addition the young Canadian scored a total of ten top-ten finishes and one pole position on his way to sixth overall in the Driver Standings, the World Series title going to Comtec Racing's sophomore driver, Alx Danielsson from Sweden.

On the highs and lows of his season Sean mused, "The highlight for me was definitely my pole position in Barcelona. We should have had pole at Donington Park but that didn't work out but Spain was sweeter as it came on the last lap of the last qualifying session of the season. It was a great feeling mirrored by my drive through to second place and my first podium finish at Spa. The final race in Barcelona was similarly pleasing as I had secured sixth in the standings and rounded out the season with another podium."

He continued, "The lowest part of the season was definitely Donington Park as I should have been on the front row of the grid but a fuel calculation error in qualifying cost me the position and I was forced to race my way from the back of the field. I still proved something with the pace of the car during the race but we know that was a weekend where I could have won. Other low points include being taken out by other drivers but there's nothing you can do about that unfortunately."

"I think I learned how to work with the team a little bit more," McIntosh commented on what he's taken from the 2006 season. "I was obviously comfortable with Team Firstair who I ran with for two seasons in the UK before joining KTR this year. With a new team you've got to start again and perhaps learn to deal with people differently. When racing in Europe, you're also faced with the challenge of people speaking different languages and so on."

"It was a great experience for me and on top of that I think I learned how to develop the car even more, a fact definitely reflected in my performances over the second half of the season. I had a car that really suited my style of driving and I think that came from the relationship I developed with the team and in particular with my engineer Paul Heath. Europe's a very competitive proving ground and you've got to learn to take care of yourself!"

Proud to be flying the maple leaf flag in European open-wheel racing, McIntosh's talents have been noted on both sides of the Atlantic, something he takes pride from but won't allow him to sit back and take it easy as he continues his rise through the ranks.

"I think when I first raced in England people there didn't have any expectations but I proved over in Formula Renault that I could compete and belonged to be there. I had earned respect and so when it came to moving up into the World Series this year people were already aware of what I could do based on my accomplishments in the UK as well as A1GP. I was more of a known quantity when I graduated to European competition this season!"

"The main thing is that if you're quick, it doesn't really matter where you're from. But from a pride perspective it's satisfying to be doing a good job as a Canadian and importantly to have people back in Canada recognise what I'm trying to accomplish over in Europe. Moving up to the highest level of motor racing could be political but the important thing for me is to keep pushing and to win races wherever I compete next season!"

Chinese Double Score for A1 Team Canada's Hinchcliffe

Courtesy Stuart Morrison Public Relations

Sunday November 12, 2006 - A1 Team Canada's James Hinchcliffe endured a fast but frustrating third round of the 2006-07 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport in Beijing, China Sunday as the 19-year-old from Toronto added to the team's points tally with fourth and tenth place finishes in the Sprint and Feature races with the fastest race lap, and bonus point, also going to the Canadian charger.

With the grid for Sunday morning's 20-minute Sprint race based on Saturday's limited practice session, following vital track modifications to the Beijing street circuit, Hinchcliffe found himself taking the start in fourth. The tight nature of the Jingkai track in the Olympic city was never going to lend itself to spectacular overtaking and as expected the Sprint race proved to be a static affair as the 22 Nation field finally unleashed their identical 550bhp V8-powered A1GP racing machines. Hinchcliffe held fourth to score three more points for Canada, his third straight points-scoring performance, with pole-sitter Jeroen Bleekemolen winning for A1 Team Netherlands ahead of Mexico's Salvador Duran and Italy's Enrico Toccacelo.

The Feature race saw Hinchcliffe climb into podium contention early in proceedings, taking the third spot as the Mexican entry floundered. As soon as the pit window opened on lap 20 the front-runners pitted with the exception of Canada who opted to stay out and build up an advantage over the rest of the field. Unfortunately for Hinchcliffe, almost as soon as he assumed the lead two safety car periods in quick succession denied him the opportunity to streak too far away or similarly pit for a fresh set of tires. When the track finally returned to green James put pedal to the metal but the advantage lay with Holland in fourth having already stopped followed by a string of similarly placed cars. This failed to halt Hinchcliffe's stunning pace demonstration and he duly set the fastest lap of the race on lap 39.

Finally relinquishing the lead on lap 50, the end of the pit window, James pitted and rejoined 11th. He quickly climbed to eighth and with some final drama he was looking good to rebound and score a potential top-five finish following the retirements of Holland, Germany and Malaysia until he in turn found himself hitting the wall following a close last-lap dice with France's Nicolas Lapierre. Classified tenth at the checkered flag, with a point for position and another for fastest lap, there was some consolation for the young Canadian after another eventful A1GP race. Enrico Toccacelo scored the Feature win for Italy, in doing so becoming the fifth nation this season to triumph, with Great Britain's Oliver Jarvis in second and Australia's Karl Reindler wrapping the podium celebrations in third.

"I'm super disappointed," stated Hinchcliffe at the end of the Feature. "It was a good race and we're unfortunate to be in the position, like Brno last time out, where we led lots of laps but haven't finished on the podium. I really had the hammer down to try and build an advantage but we were caught out by the safety periods. I thought France had a problem at the end and was letting me go as I ran wide but he started to race me again and I found myself out on the marbles and into the wall. It's frustrating but overall we showed great pace today and that's encouraging for the future!"

Round 4 of the 2006-07 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport takes place in two weeks time, Friday 24th - Sunday 26th November, at the Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia - www.a1gp.com.

A1GP Nations Standings after Round 3/12: 1st Mexico (24), 2nd Germany (22), 3rd Great Britain (20), 4th Italy (19), 5th Malaysia (17), 6th Canada (16)

McIntosh Ninth Fastest for Canada in Malaysian A1GP Qualifying

Courtesy Stuart Morrison Public Relations

Saturday 25 November, 2006 - Sean McIntosh ensured A1 Team Canada kept its top-ten qualifying record intact Saturday as he posted the ninth fastest aggregate lap time at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia ahead of Round 4 of the 12-round 2006-07 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport, starting with Sunday morning's 20-minute Sprint race.

McIntosh (21), competing for A1 Team Canada for the first time this season, was keen to keep the team's streak of top-ten starts going following James Hinchcliffe's excellent qualifying performances in the Canadian car over the opening rounds in Holland, the Czech Republic and China. The 21-year-old from Vancouver failed to disappoint as he reacquainted himself with the 550bhp, V8-powered A1GP car that he drove to victory in Indonesia in the inaugural A1GP Championship last season.

Straight out on a brand new set of tires for the first of four timed runs, the fastest two being used to set the aggregate qualifying time and the grid order for Sunday's Sprint race, McIntosh lapped the 5.54km Sepang International Circuit in 1m 53.142s. His next lap would be faster as he made the most of another set of new tires to post a time of 1m 52.210s, the sixth fastest lap of the second session.

Sean's third run, and final outing on fresh rubber, was less fruitful as he admitted he might have pushed a little too hard for the lap, setting a 1m 53.424s, ninth fastest from the 22-strong field of nations. The Canadian's last run of the session, this time on old tires, was a competitive 1m 53.398s and a faster lap than his previous one. With his first two laps being the fastest of the four, and therefore forming his aggregate lap time of 3m 45.352s, McIntosh ended Saturday's qualifying session ninth overall to secure a top-ten grid slot for Sunday's Sprint race. Pole went to Switzerland's Neel Jani with New Zealand's Jonny Reid lining up alongside on the front-row for the rolling start.

Encouraged to be starting 13 spots higher up the grid from last season's rain-soaked A1GP qualifying session in Malaysia, McIntosh's competitive edge meant he was still left wanting more. "The car certainly had pace today," he commented. "I didn't get the best from my first set of tires but the second run was more promising. The track had warmed up by the third outing and I probably pushed a little too hard. I didn't come here to qualify ninth, I wanted to be higher than that on my return with the team but compared to last season's start position at Sepang it's a definite improvement!"

A1GP Round 4 Qualifying - Aggregate time from two fastest laps
1. Switzerland - Neel Jani - 3:43.014
2. New Zealand - Jonny Reid - 3:43.305
3. Germany - Nico Hülkenberg - 3:43.381
4. Great Britain - Robbie Kerr - 3:43.941
5. China - Congfu Cheng - 3:44.884
6. Netherlands - Jeroen Bleekemolen - 3:44.932
7. Malaysia - Alex Yoong - 3:45.068
8. South Africa - Adrian Zaugg - 3:45.238
9. CANADA - SEAN MCINTOSH - 3:45.352
10. France - Nicolas Lapierre - 3:45.410

Sunday's 20-minute Sprint race starts at 11 am local time (10 pm EST Saturday) with the 70-minute Feature race starting at 3 pm in Malaysia (2 am EST Sunday). The races can be watched live in Canada or on demand later via the A1GP website - www.a1gp.com.

TSN: Schumacher on the record

TSN has a story quoting Michael Schumacher, saying he retired because he'd lost his motivation. In the same piece, he says his one big regret was the incident in '97 when he ran into Jacques Villeneuve in the final race.

No clarification on whether or not he regretted doing it... or regretted not finishing the job. :)

The story begins...

"Michael Schumacher says he lost the motivation to drive at the high level necessary to succeed in Formula One and that is one of the main reasons he decided to retire.
In an interview with a German publication, which coincides with the release of his updated autobiography, the seven time world champion also says if there was one regret in his career it was the 1997 incident at the European Grand Prix involving Canadian Jacques Villeneuve.
At that race, Schumacher deliberately turned into Villeneuve, who was closing in on his first world championship with Williams. The move backfired as Schumacher was forced to withdraw from the race due to car damage while Villeneuve limped home in third to clinch the title. After the season was over, Schumacher was stripped of his results from that season.
"If there were a situation in my career which I could undo, it would be this," he tells the Suddeutsche Zeitung magazine."

photo: This is what Jacques Villeneuve saw coming at him in the '97 European GP. "Ramming speed!!!!!!!!"

... continued at the link above

Nice story.... Zanardi drives an F1 car

Alex Zanardi is an inspiration to anyone who has dealt with hardship.
There is an AP story in today's Toronto Star, about his recent outing in a Sauber F1 car.

***

PAUL LOGOTHETIS // ASSOCIATED PRESS
"VALENCIA, Spain—Alex Zanardi nestled himself into the car, fiddled with the buckles on his helmet until they were just right, then accelerated past a crowd of onlookers and on to the track. After driving four laps in a modified BMW-Sauber C24-B, the Italian pulled into pit lane just like any other Formula One driver.
But Zanardi is no regular professional race car driver: he has no legs.
"To put a guy with no legs, a handicapped athlete, into an F1 car, it's a good thing," Zanardi said yesterday after becoming the first double amputee to test drive a Formula One car.
"This is why I'm so proud to be the one who is doing this, because for me I don't look at it from this point of view, but inevitably there will be a lot of people who will say, `Sometimes I play in life, but look at that guy — he's driving an F1 car.'"

... continued at the link above

Tim Miller bemoans the lack of information regarding the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series

Veteran motorsports journalist Tim Miller has a piece in today's Hamilton Spectator.

"The newly formed NASCAR-Canadian Tire Series has been a source of frustration and puzzlement since it was announced.
With the Christmas season fast approaching, a race schedule has yet to be announced, leaving the former CASCAR series teams scrambling for sponsorship.
The running of a stock-car team at this level is not cheap and most competitors must rely on sponsorship.
But the teams going into the boardrooms of prospective backers cannot even provide details of where and when the races will be held in 2007.
This must be especially frustrating for the series teams. They have not had a title sponsor for the past several years and they thought, with two such well-known names as NASCAR and CTC, they'd have an easier time getting sponsorship."

... more at the link above.

Jimmie Johnson.... no respect.

There's a story on the AP wire today, saying that new Nextel Cup champ Jimmie Johnson hardly rates among the series' most popular drivers.

"HOMESTEAD, Fla. (AP) - There's an Internet video of a family in its kitchen watching October's last-lap wreck at Talladega. When Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson crash on the final lap, the family flies into an expletive-laden rage against Johnson.
Widely viewed throughout NASCAR, it took Earnhardt and Denny Hamlin to make Johnson aware of the clip.
"That was one of the funniest videos I've ever seen," Hamlin told him, choking back laughter. "Even the toddler was ripping you."
Johnson is NASCAR's nicest guy and its newest champion, but he's far from a fan favourite.
With 23 career victories and his first Nextel Cup championship, Johnson's still working on winning over fans: He ranked a distant 10th last season in final voting for NASCAR's most popular driver.
Routinely booed during pre-race introductions, he's had more than one Victory Lane celebration spoiled by debris raining down from the grandstands. Although that didn't happen Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, he hardly was embraced. His haters didn't even bother sticking around, making the final trophy presentation somewhat muted...."

... more at the link above.

And... here is a link to the video on YouTube. Apparently, it's not so funny when it's an Earnhardt being spun... Warning... very foul language.

(UPDATE: The video was removed by the user. I don't blame him.)

ADVERTISER SPOTLIGHT: Five Star Racecar Bodies

Five Star Racecar Bodies

STICKY POST: This will be the top post until Wednesday, November 22. Check below for current news.

Outlaws at Ohsweken now OFFICIAL

The Ohsweken Speedway will officially be hosting a World of Outlaws sprint car event on Thursday July 26th, 2007. This combined with the recent announcement that Steve Kinser and Danny Lasoski are returning to WoO is big news for dirt track racing fans in Southern Ontario! Attached is the official release:


Nine More Events Added To World of Outlaws 2007 Schedule

Concord, NC — Nov. 20, 2006 — By Chris Dolack, VP Public Relations
The World of Outlaws on Monday announced nine more events for 2007, including the series' first visit to Ohsweken Speedway.

The first new event to the schedule will be during the season-opening DIRTcar Nationals Feb. 10 at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., giving the World of Outlaws three consecutive nights of racing from Feb. 9 to Feb. 11.

The World of Outlaws also will return to 1/3-mile Attica Raceway Park on April 20 in Attica, Ohio. Then, on May 31, the World of Outlaws will return for the first time since 1995 to 5/8-mile West Virginia Motor Speedway in Parkersburg, W.Va.

In another return to the World of Outlaws schedule is the star- studded Michael Ross Foundation's event on June 20 at half-mile Missouri State Fair Speedway in Sedalia, Mo. The event honors the memory of Michael Ross, who at five-years-old passed away in 1990 from a rare genetic disease.

On July 26, the World of Outlaws will invade Ohsweken Speedway in Ohsweken, Ontario, for the first time in series history. A 3/8-mile oval, Ohsweken Speedway is one of Canada’s top sprint car tracks and the home of the Canadian Sprint Car Nationals.

The World of Outlaws also will compete on four nights at edge-of-your- seat exciting 1/3-mile Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif. The specific dates are still to be determined.

"We know it's important for our teams to have the opportunity to race as often as possible," said World of Outlaws Series Director Carlton Reimers. "We also want to bring the fast-paced, fan-thrilling World of Outlaws style of racing to as many dirt tracks around North America as we can for the fans, too. With these new events on our 2007 schedule, we're bringing the World of Outlaws to areas that haven't had a chance to see us race in a while so we're certainly looking forward to that."

The World of Outlaws launches the 2007 season on Feb. 9 at Volusia Speedway Park. The series expects to have around 85 events when its final schedule is released during the mid-December Performance Racing Industry trade show in Orlando.

Villeneuve set to finance his own NASCAR team

From Sportsnet.ca

"Former Formula One champion Jacques Villeneuve and his manager look to get in the NASCAR Nextel Cup series by purchasing their own team. The former BAR-Honda driver and his manager, Craig Pollack plan on spending a portion of the $100 million US which Villeneuve earned during his five years at BAR-Honda on the team, writes the Toronto Sun. Villeneuve was originally in lengthy negotiations with Roush Racing, but negotiations failed."

... more at the link above.

PETEY: Full time in a Roush Truck in '07

From SceneDaily.com

.... "As for the trucks, Smith said the plan is to go with Travis Kvapil, Erik Darnell and development driver Peter Shepherd for the three Roush teams."

(h/t Joel Robinson)

ADVERTISER SPOTLIGHT: Team Oneil

Team Oneil

STICKY POST: This will be the top post until Monday, November 20. Check below for current news.

CASCAR ON TV: The 2006 CASCAR YEAR-IN-REVIEW show on SPORTSNET

EAST:
Saturday Nov. 18th @ 2:30PM EST
Sunday Nov. 19th @ 12:00PM EST

ONTARIO:
Saturday Nov. 18th @ 3:00PM EST
Sunday Nov. 19th @ 11:00AM EST
Wednesday Nov. 22nd @ 1:00PM EST

WEST:
Saturday Nov. 18th @ 12:30PM MST & @ 7:00PM MST
Sunday Nov. 19th @ 11:00AM MST

PACIFIC:
Saturday Nov. 18th @ 7:00PM PST

The show features highlights on:

• The CASCAR Sportsman Series
• The Milwaukee Tools Western Report
• The Fast Eddie Rookie Report
• The Leland Drive to the Championship

NASCAR Cdn. Tire Series: Western champs 'park it' for '07

A post on the CASCAR West site says that the 2006 championship-winning #36 MOPAR Dodge Charger team won't be racing in 2007. This is very unfortunate.

While people are very happy about the news that the series will be called the "NASCAR Canadian Tire Series" in 2007.... beyond that there has been no information. I spoke with a team owner yesterday. He said that without information and material to sell their programs, the announcement of the series is of little benefit. He said it is already too late in terms of getting into companies' budgets for 2007.

According to the post by team owner Derek Johnston:

"It is with great sadness that I announce that we will not be participating in the 2007 season. We have all been waiting far too long for an announcement that still has not come...and may never come. No car owner could be prouder of the time committment, and dedication of the #36 team. They have proved over the last years that they are winners, and working with them has been a privledge. Unfortunately there are a lot of other factors, and time is one of them. I had set my own self imposed deadline to have the 2007 season finalized by Oct 1, then Nov. 1, now it's Nov 15 and we still have no answers. TIME HAS RUN OUT. Thanks to all our sponsors and thanks to all the teams for making racing competetive and fun, and I wish you all the best. Derek Johnston/ Derek Johnston Motorsports #36 Mopar, Mobil One, Exide Dodge"

World of Outlaws at Ohsweken Speedway???

The World of Outlaws could be making their first visit to Southern Ontario in 2007. Plans are in the works for Ohsweken Speedway to host an Outlaws sprint car race on Wednesday July 25th, 2007.

Although it is not officially confirmed, word from track management is that the deal is almost complete. The tentative date of July 25th would follow the tours Tuesday night visit to the Fulton Speedway in upstate New York.

Stay tuned for more details!!!

ACT: BRIAN HOAR TO CHALLENGE FOR ACT’S ’07 TITLE

Waterbury, VT – Five-time American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Champion, Brian Hoar of Williston, VT has announced he will return to the Vermont-based Late Model Series in search of a sixth championship title. The second generation driver last claimed an ACT crown in 2000 although he’s competed infrequently off and on with the Series since his departure.
“I’m looking forward to the challenge,” commented the 34 year-old racer who, over the past several years has been a competitor with NASCAR’s Busch East Series. “We’ve got some homework to do – the cars are quite a bit different, plus I’ll need to change my driving style some come spring,” he remarked.
The long-time Dodge driver continued, “It always takes me a little while to get comfortable behind the wheel when the season starts back up, you’ve got to get your mind and reactions back into it. I’ll also need to rediscover ACT’s spec motor, which has less horse power (than the Busch engine), and get used to the narrower 8” Goodyear tire, although the ACT car is wider and handles better than the Busch car.”
“Returning to the tracks where I grew up racing is exciting. It will be great to have fans come and cheer us on at Thunder Road, Airborne, Sanair, White Mountain and Oxford, as well as the other tracks on the 2007 ACT schedule. As a team, we’re particularly excited about the recently announced Super Series race at Kawartha (Speedway near Peterborough, ONT). I’ve done some research on the track over the internet and I think I’ve looked at every photo I could find for the past three years. It looks like a terrific facility. There aren’t a lot of tracks in this area with progressive banking and I can’t wait to head out there.”
Even though Hoar’s been away from regular ACT competition, he is among those considered as a contender for the 2007 crown. “I’m looking forward to Brian’s return,” stated six-time and defending ACT Champion, Jean-Paul Cyr. Cyr tied Hoar’s record of five ACT Late Model titles in 2005.
“It’s a lot of fun to race with him and his team always has a great attitude. Plus,” Cyr added, “He’s going to have a good car. Dave and Donna (Smith of Race Basics) build a competitive car and they’ve helped us to several of our championships,” he finished.
“I’m tickled to death,” agreed Brent Dragon, a three point finisher in each of the past years, “It’s always good to have another competitive car. Brian’s a clean racer; he was one of those you always wanted to beat back when he was winning championships.”
A.J. Begin, of Merrimac, MA hasn’t had much experience racing against Hoar since he arrived on the scene after his departure, “I don’t know much about Brian,” Begin said. “He was at the Ste-Croix Tour race back in May and I remember running side-by-side with him down the backstretch. He got loose and went into the infield, I thought `He’s going to loop it and come back across the track,’ but he never got sideways and amazingly he returned to the track without incident.”
He continued, “With ACT, it doesn’t matter what your name is. There is a lot of good, clean competition. At any given race, there’s a long list of drivers who could win. I understand that he’s a respectful driver and I welcome that.”
Hoar will begin his quest for a record tying sixth ACT Tour Championship on Sunday, April 29 at Maine’s Oxford Plains Speedway.
For additional information contact the ACT office (802) 244-6963 or visit www.acttour.com

From: Marjorie Mulligan Fay

Odds & Ends

Had some trouble with Blogger today, so I couldn't post. It's fixed now, as you can see.

Slow day anyway, other than someone told me that Grand Bend Micro Speedway won't be "Micro" for much longer. The 1/8-mile configuration is being stretched out to 1/4-mile. From what I have been told, they want to pave it this fall.

DJ Kennington is attempting to qualify for the Busch Series finale at Homestead this weekend. Good luck DJ!

Finally, a big 'thank you' to Dave Whitlock and everyone at Whitlock Motorsports for their hospitality in inviting me to their team party last Saturday night in Wyoming, ON!

TSN: Tag looking for a new ride

From TSN.CA

"Alex Tagliani's tenure at Team Australia appears to be over.
Writing in his column on RDS.ca, Tagliani says he has spoken to several teams about next season, including Rocketsports Racing, Dale Coyne and RuSport.
"I do not expect to return with Team Australia, the team with whom I spent the last two seasons," writes Tagliani. "I know that the team would like two Australian drivers next season and I cannot really blame them."

... more at the link above.

TSN: Tag looking for a new ride

From TSN.CA

"Alex Tagliani's tenure at Team Australia appears to be over. Writing in his column on RDS.ca, Tagliani says he has spoken to several teams about next season, including Rocketsports Racing, Dale Coyne and RuSport.
"I do not expect to return with Team Australia, the team with whom I spent the last two seasons," writes Tagliani. "I know that the team would like two Australian drivers next season and I cannot really blame them."

... more at the link above.

Grand Bend Speedway not very Micro for long

Apparently the formerly 1/8-mile Grand Bend Micro Speedway has been stretched out to a 1/4-mile. Word I received was that they are planning to pave it this fall.

Mark Martin prepares for his final drive in the #6 Roush Ford

... it was quite a ride.

AFTER 19 YEARS, MARTIN SET FOR FINAL RIDE IN NO. 6

Martin will exit the No. 6 AAA Ford Fusion after Sunday’s race at Homestead

CONCORD, N.C. (Nov. 14, 2006) ­ Can you recall where you were and what you were doing on Feb. 14, 1988? Mark Martin can. He was behind the wheel of the Roush Racing No. 6 Ford, forging forward on what would become one of the most successful runs in not only NASCAR, but all of sports history. Martin has spent the majority of his days since behind the wheel of the No. 6; 19 years worth to be exact. That will all come to an end this weekend, when Martin takes his final ride in the Roush Racing No. 6 Ford.

“It’s actually hard to believe that it’s actually here,” said Martin in reference to Sunday’s race at Homestead. “It’s one of those things where you know it has been coming for a while, but you still can’t believe that it’s almost here. I’ve been in that car for a long time ­ 19 years to be exact. It’s a part of me and I’m a part of it. Now the time has come for me to hand that over to someone else, but it’s going to be a different feeling for sure.”

To put Martin’s 19-year run in the same car in perspective, seven other current drivers, who are on the preliminary entry list for this weekend’s race at Homestead, also started that Daytona 500 in 1988. Of those seven drivers, all have raced for at least four different owners since that time. In fact, the seven combined have driven for 55 different owners and driven cars with a total of 57 different numbers. All while Martin forged on in the No. 6.

On that day Ronald Ragan was president, a gallon of gas cost 96 cents, the average price of a car was just over $14,000, a loaf of bread would run you a whopping 61 cents, and a young driver from Batesville, Arkansas was determined to make the most of a second chance. Martin’s tenure in the No. 6 was of humbling if not almost comical beginnings.

“We made the race on time,” said Martin recalling that first speed weeks with Roush Racing. “Then we got wrecked in the Twin-125’s and we didn’t have a backup speedway car, so we used the Atlanta car for the race. We didn’t last 20 laps before we lost the engine.”

When Martin climbed into that backup No. 6 car on that day, it was highly unlikely he could have envisioned the success he would go on to have in the No. 6. Six-Hundred and sixteen consecutive starts, 35 wins, 230 top-five finishes, 361 top-10 finishes, 39 poles, 181,163 laps, 11,100 laps led and 228,456.2 miles later, Martin prepares to get behind of the wheel of the No. 6 for the final time this Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Martin’s time in the No. 6 car has seen four different Presidents of the United States, two different series’ sponsors, three different Ford makes and numerous changes to the business of NASCAR and Roush Racing. The No. 6 team was the first step of team owner Jack Roush into NASCAR. Since that time Roush has added four more Cup teams, with two of those teams claiming championships, and Roush has grown into one of the largest and most successful motorsports operations in the world.

“We’ve been at this for a long time and there is a sense of accomplishment for what we’ve been able to do,” said Martin. “It’s been a great ride and I’m so thankful to Jack Roush for having given me the opportunity to really live out my dreams behind the wheel of the No. 6 car. It’s really been a great ride and I would not change it for anything. We’ve always went into it giving everything that we had and really going at it no less than 100 percent and hopefully that showed over the years.”

MARTIN’S STATS IN THE NO. 6
SEASONS: 19
STARTS: 616
WINS: 35
POLES: 39
TOP-FIVE’S: 230
TOP-10’s: 361
LAPS: 181,163
LAPS LED: 11,100
MILES: 228,456.2
TOP 10 POINT FINISHES: 16
TOP FIVE POINT FINISHES: 12
TOP 15 POINT FINISHES: 15

MARTIN MILESTONES IN THE NO. 6
Race # Date Track Start Finish President
1st Feb 14, 1988 Daytona 38 41 Ronald Reagan
56th Oct. 22, 1989 Rockingham (1st win)7 1 George Bush
100th June 16, 1991 Pocono 1 3 George Bush
200th Sept. 18, 1994 Dover 4 19 Bill Clinton
300th Nov. 16, 1997 Atlanta 9 3 Bill Clinton
400th Nov. 12, 2000 Homestead 11 3 George W. Bush
500th Sept. 14, 2003 New Hampshire 33 28 George W. Bush
600th July 16, 2006 New Hampshire 13 4 George W. Bush
617th Nov. 19, 2006 Homestead (Final Run)

###
Contact: Kevin Woods, Roush Racing

Amp'd Mobile Supercross at Rogers Centre: Suppport a great cause and win incredible access

Readers of Inside Motorcycles and its sister publication IMX have a chance to pick up free tickets to the Amp’d Mobile Supercross event at the Rogers Centre Nov. 30-Dec. 2, and help Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children at the same time.

The first 50 readers to donate $75 or more to the Amp’d Mobile Supercross Inside Line Experience Pledge Drive will receive two free tickets to the Rogers Centre event, compliments of Inside Motorcycles and IMX. If you stop and think about it, that's just about the cost of two tickets to the event anyway).

The top 10 fundraisers over $500 by Nov. 21 will also win a pair of passes to the Inside Line Experience at Toronto Supercross. The Amp’d Mobile Supercross Inside Line Experience Pledge Drive raises funds to support research at the Hospital for Sick Children.

Donations received through the drive will fund research for treating hydrocephalus – the number one cause of brain surgery in children. Fundraising efforts will help improve the lives of kids that have to endure multiple brain surgeries to live.

The Inside Line Experience is a package of exclusive opportunities at the Amp’d Mobile Supercross of Toronto, giving participants an unforgettable experience for this event. Hang out with top Supercross racers in a small group, in a relaxed environment. Attend the Supercross press conference. Watch a private practice at Rogers Centre. Tour a factory rig. Walk the track. And get a pit pass and great seats.

A pledge form can be downloaded from the Inside Motorcycles MX For Children website at this link.

To be eligible for the two free race tickets, you will need to pledge a minimum of $75 or more (get your friends, family, co-workers and/or corporations to pledge donations).

You will then need to send an email to Inside Motorcycles (david@insidemotorcycles.com) or call David Weber 519-869-4969 and let him know you have made your pledge in order to receive your tickets. If you wish, you can also call David and he can take your pledge over the phone.

But you'd better hurry; the two free tickets are only available to the first 50 readers of Inside Motorcycles or IMX who pledge $75 or more.

T.O. Sun: McNulty story says Villeneuve not likely to drive for Roush in '07

In the same piece, Ken Schrader is quoted as saying the new NASCAR Canadian Tire Series is more about "marketing" than developing a stepping stone to Cup.

Let's hope Kenny is wrong and it's about both of those things.

NASCAR: Quotes from Montoya and Ganassi on next weekend and next season

CHIP GANASSI (Car owner Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates)

WILL MONTOYA ATTEMPT TO QUALIFY FOR NEXT WEEK’S CUP RACE?
“We’ll see. We’re making the decision this week. We’ll have our post-race review from this weekend and go from there. If we so decide there is a car entered there.”

HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE THE RECEPTION MONTOYA HAS HAD SO FAR IN NASCAR? “I think he’s been doing a great job. We had five of the fastest laps in the (Busch) race yesterday on the good side. On the bad side he came in and pinched the guys against the wall one time. We had a slow, slow stop. It’s just another learning curve. Trying to avoid an accident, he glanced off the wall again. In some sense that’s four races and four scrapes against the wall. You can look at it that way, too. He understands we’re trying to find the limits of these cars. We’re very happy with his awareness and what’s going on around him and what’s going on with the cars. Quite frankly I think he’s being too nice when these guys come down on him in the corner. He backs out of it and hits the wall. You just can’t do that.”

IS THERE ANY REASON NOT TO RUN HIM IN A CUP CAR NEXT WEEK? “We feel very strong about getting him in the Cup race. That’s not the issue. The issue is getting him out of the pits in a competitive manner. You can have the fastest car there and if we can’t get out of the pits you might as well not even be there. We’ve got to get the rest of the team organized around it. This has all come on pretty quick about putting him in a Cup race and everything. We just don’t want to embarrass him or ourselves out there. We want to make sure it’s right. We’re certainly leaning to that way. I think it’s obviously we’re leaning that way. We entered a car, but we’re going to look at it this week and decide. Quite frankly, I hope we do it.”

ARE YOU LOOKING AT GETTING MONTOYA’S DEBUT OUT OF THE WAY? “I don’t look at it that way. Every race we go to now is a new mountain to climb. It’s going to be that way for awhile. I’ve said all along we’ve got about eight steps to make and we’ve made about four of them. We have to make four more before we get there. As long as we make solid steps and we can do that we’re going to do that, but let’s not forget, we’re about four steps into an eight-step process. Yes, we’ve made solid steps. The next four have to all be solid, too.”

WHAT’S THE CAR NUMBER? “We have a 42 and 30. Those are the two Havoline cars entered next week.” WOULD MONTOYA BE IN THE 30? “Yes, that’s the way it stands right now. We’re going to take a look at all that this week. A lot of it has to do with how many other cars that are entered and who has a better shot at qualifying. Obviously Casey (Mears) is a great qualifier, but we haven’t even broached that subject. As far as Casey knows he’s in the 42 next weekend, and I’ve told him that.”

JUAN PABLO MONTOYA (2007 Driver No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge Charger)

WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT SATURDAY’S BUSCH RACE AT PIR? “Yesterday was a bad day. We had a really bad car. We qualified well, but the car in the race was terrible. The car really never came to life. I think everybody else’s got worse than mine and we started making up a little bit of places. I started running the high line through three and four and some guys spun in front of me. That was pretty much our day. It was good in a way because we had to learn how to work all day with a really bad car and make it better all day. We really missed it a lot yesterday to where we needed to be with the car, but that was good. Everybody with the Texaco/Havoline Dodge at Ganassi has done a good job for me. Do we want to do better? Yeah, we want to do better. Do we need to improve? Yeah, I think when the car is good the speed is there, qualifying is there. It’s just learning how to race. I don’t want to get in trouble with people so early. I want to try to do it the right way, and if it doesn’t work, then you do it the other way.”

WHY WOULD YOU NOT RACE AT HOMESTEAD NEXT SUNDAY? “I don’t know. I think if everything is right it’s worth doing it. If things are not right, there’s no point to doing it. We need to make sure the team is capable of running two cars. (It’s in Chip’s ballpark.)”

ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH YOUR PROGRESS? “In three races I’ve qualified 9 and 11 and 11. I’ve been ahead of my teammates, all of them. Generally speaking I think my pace has been really good. I think there are other things to learn still, the overtaking and things like that. We need to work on that a little bit more, but I think that’s good. If the cars are in equal position, I can run with people, I can pass people. It works pretty good.”

ARE YOU SURPRISED IT’S NOT MORE DIFFICULT? “When you run up front the cars are a lot cleaner and it’s easier to run than when you run in the back. Yesterday when I spun in turn one I was beside the guy. I talked to the guy and I said, ‘I thought you were in my bumper and I wasn’t going to get in your way because I thought you were in my bumper.’ There’s no point to wreck another guy for the sake of wrecking him, but that’s the way he played it and that’s it. You’ve just got to get on with it.”

ARE YOU AHEAD OF WHERE YOU THOUGHT YOU’D BE NOW? “Yeah. I’m not racing for points or anything here, and I don’t want to (interfere) with anybody’s championship or anything. I’m out there to learn. When the car is good, I want people to race me clean. When they’re quick, I’ll race them clean at the moment. Next year when it gets down to business it’ll be a different story. Daytona is all relevant. Daytona is what the car can do. You can win the race or finish 30th and you didn’t even know what happened. It’s a bit like Talladega. You’ve just got to have people work with you. I think that’s going to be hard to get people to work with me at the beginning, but that’s why we’ve got two teammates. From what I saw at Talladega, I was shocked that all three guys didn’t work more together. I think we need to do that.”

WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET YOUR FIRST CUP START OUT OF THE WAY? “I don’t care. It’s just a race. It’s getting in the car and driving it. What’s the big deal? For me the biggest deal, probably more than doing a Cup race, was probably the ARCA race in Talladega because that was my first stock car race, my first NASCAR style race. It was just a race, get in it, drive the car and see what it does. I think Cup is a lot more give and take than Busch. In Busch people want to prove themselves to be able to get to Cup. When you’re in Cup you don’t have to do that. Even in F-1 you’ve got to learn to be patient. Here when things are going bad, just ride along and wait for the pit stop. I even told Chip yesterday it was bad the race wasn’t longer. They say the Cup races are harder because they’re longer, but in a way that’s better. You can make a difference. You make the changes wrong, the next pit stop you can just come in and change the car and keep changing the car until it gets better. You need to make sure you’re in that ballpark.”

From Ray Cooper

A1GP: Chinese Double Score for A1 Team Canada's Hinchcliffe

Sunday November 12, 2006 - A1 Team Canada's James Hinchcliffe endured a fast but frustrating third round of the 2006-07 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport in Beijing, China Sunday as the 19-year-old from Toronto added to the team's points tally with fourth and tenth place finishes in the Sprint and Feature races with the fastest race lap, and bonus point, also going to the Canadian charger.

With the grid for Sunday morning's 20-minute Sprint race based on Saturday's limited practice session, following vital track modifications to the Beijing street circuit, Hinchcliffe found himself taking the start in fourth. The tight nature of the Jingkai track in the Olympic city was never going to lend itself to spectacular overtaking and as expected the Sprint race proved to be a static affair as the 22 Nation field finally unleashed their identical 550bhp V8-powered A1GP racing machines.

Hinchcliffe held fourth to score three more points for Canada, his third straight points-scoring performance, with pole-sitter Jeroen Bleekemolen winning for A1 Team Netherlands ahead of Mexico's Salvador Duran and Italy's Enrico Toccacelo.

The Feature race saw Hinchcliffe climb into podium contention early in proceedings, taking the third spot as the Mexican entry floundered. As soon as the pit window opened on lap 20 the front-runners pitted with the exception of Canada who opted to stay out and build up an advantage over the rest of the field.

Unfortunately for Hinchcliffe, almost as soon as he assumed the lead two safety car periods in quick succession denied him the opportunity to streak too far away or similarly pit for a fresh set of tires. When the track finally returned to green James put pedal to the metal but the advantage lay with Holland in fourth having already stopped followed by a string of similarly placed cars. This failed to halt Hinchcliffe's stunning pace demonstration and he duly set the fastest lap of the race on lap 39.

Finally relinquishing the lead on lap 50, the end of the pit window, James pitted and rejoined 11th. He quickly climbed to eighth and with some final drama he was looking good to rebound and score a potential top-five finish following the retirements of Holland, Germany and Malaysia until he in turn found himself hitting the wall following a close last-lap dice with France's Nicolas Lapierre.

Classified tenth at the checkered flag, with a point for position and another for fastest lap, there was some consolation for the young Canadian after another eventful A1GP race. Enrico Toccacelo scored the Feature win for Italy, in doing so becoming the fifth nation this season to triumph, with Great Britain's Oliver Jarvis in second and Australia's Karl Reindler wrapping the podium celebrations in third.

"I'm super disappointed," stated Hinchcliffe at the end of the Feature. "It was a good race and we're unfortunate to be in the position, like Brno last time out, where we led lots of laps but haven't finished on the podium. I really had the hammer down to try and build an advantage but we were caught out by the safety periods. I thought France had a problem at the end and was letting me go as I ran wide but he started to race me again and I found myself out on the marbles and into the wall. It's frustrating but overall we showed great pace today and that's encouraging for the future!"

Round 4 of the 2006-07 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport takes place in two weeks time, Friday 24th - Sunday 26th November, at the Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia - www.a1gp.com
A1GP Nations Standings after Round 3/12: 1st Mexico (24), 2nd Germany (22), 3rd Great Britain (20), 4th Italy (19), 5th Malaysia (17), 6th Canada (16), =6th Czech Republic (16), =6th Australia (16)

From: Stuart Morrison - PR & Media Manager

Odds & Ends

Not racing, but..... The Dominion Institute is waging a campaign to have a state funeral when the final living World War I veteran passes. There are three of them left. I first received a 'heads up' on this from our western correspondent Robert K. Rooney. Today, there's a front-page piece on this in the Globe & Mail. This is a great idea and a fitting tribute to all of our veterans who gave so much, so that we can have what we have.

....

The Sun Papers' Dean McNulty has a piece on Jeff Gordon saying he's too busy to take part in next August's inaugural Busch Series race in Montreal. (NOTE: Dean's piece says the Montreal race is scheduled for July 21-21.... it's actually the Aug. 4 weekend.)

....

According to this story in the Toronto Star, the recent SEMA show in Las Vegas was packed with Canadians showing their wares.

....

Even though he's already landed a gig for next summer, Patrick Carpentier has reportedly shown up at Phoenix Int'l Raceway looking to make a connection with a Busch team for next season.

From Paddock Talk: "Patrick Carpentier Looking for NASCAR RideFormer CART/Champ Car and IRL IndyCar driver Patrick Carpentier has been spotted in the Phoenix paddock. Though recently signed to race a full schedule for SAMAX Motorsport's No. 11 CITGO Pontiac Riley Daytona Prototype entry in the Grand American series, Carpentier is still trying to hook up with a NASCAR ride.According to the SportingNews, Carpentier is talking to Busch teams about racing a 'handful of Busch races'. One race of course would be NASCAR's first visit North of the border to Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve."

More on Carp. here in this piece on Sporting News.com ""We raced CASCAR (Canadian Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) for just one race and I loved it, so we'll see," Carpentier said. "I'd love to do it. If we could do some races in Busch, and with Montreal coming, you know that would be good."

T.O. STAR: Norris McDonald wishes Paul Tracy would grow up

After scratching his head about the admitted drunken golf cart crash that magically morphed into an innocent ATV accident, Norris McDonald's bottom line is that PT's teenage shenanigans are knee-capping his career.

The full story is here.

More IRL testing at Daytona... how long before a race is announced?

INDIANAPOLIS (Nov. 10, 2006) – IndyCar Series officials announced today that the League will conduct preseason testing for the first time at Daytona International Speedway Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2007.

In late September, the IndyCar Series completed a successful compatibility test at Daytona International Speedway, featuring past series champions Sam Hornish Jr. (2001, ’02, ’06), Scott Dixon (’03), Tony Kanaan (’04) and Dan Wheldon (’05) and Vitor Meira. The visit allowed IndyCar Series officials to determine the possibility of DIS serving as a preseason testing venue.

Series officials were able to see transitions onto the banking, tire wear/side loads and braking zones while looking for any challenging surface areas on the track. The test took place on the 2.73-mile tri-oval and road course, which included 10 turns.

“Expanding our preseason testing schedule to include Daytona International Speedway is good for both fans and teams,” said John Lewis, vice president of league development for the Indy Racing League, the sanctioning body of the IndyCar Series and the Indy Pro Series. “The feedback coming out of the test from our drivers and teams, Firestone, Honda and Ethanol was very positive and supportive of the IndyCar Series pursuing Daytona as a test venue.”

“We are very excited to be able to host pre-season testing for the IndyCar Series here at Daytona,” said Daytona International Speedway President Robin Braig. “Bringing another motorsports sanctioning body to Daytona further solidifies us as the World Center of Racing.’ We look forward to welcoming the stars and fans of the IndyCar Series.”
The tentative schedule for pre-season testing is as follows:

Daytona International Speedway
Jan. 30 – Load-in/Set-up Day
Jan. 31 – IndyCar Series Testing (10 a.m. – 5 p.m.)
Feb. 1 – IndyCar Series Testing (10 a.m. – 5 p.m.)

The complete in-season Open Test schedule will be announced in the future.

- From DIS

F1 Look-alikes

The odd time, we do a 'separated at birth' piece in the magazine.
My favourite was Rubens Barrichello and Bill from 'Puppets Who Kill'.

This morning, I was thinking that Heinz-Harald Frentzen looks like David Duchovny.
Seems someone else had that thought first.

There are a whole page of them here.

Another good match for Rubens is Kelsey Grammer (aka Dr. Fraser Crane).

And who knew that Michael Schumacher was separated at birth from Beaker (from the Muppets)?

Pierre Bourque Takes On Another Form Of Racing

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (November 9, 2006) - - Pierre Bourque had a busy 2006 season. Competing in the NASCAR Busch East Series, the CASCAR Series and the ARCA RE/MAX Series, Bourque continues to have the itch to race and gain more experience behind the wheel.

With his oval racing season complete, Bourque is utilizing the rest of the year to get a jumpstart on next year where he will make another racing milestone next February by competing in the 24 Hours of Daytona.

Earlier this week, the Ottawa, Ontario native invaded Daytona International Speedway taking turns behind the wheel of his racecar preparing him for his biggest racing venture yet.

“I am thrilled to be at Daytona, testing for next year’s 24-hour race,” said Bourque. “It’s been something I’ve wanted to do for years and the opportunity finally presented itself with Kevin Buckler’s TRG team.”

Bourque, who finished inside the top-20 in the final NASCAR Busch East Series points added, “The team is first class. They are proven winners. The car is ultra-quick and the track is super fast. Add to that Kevin’s vast experience, a great group of engineers and the generous advice from the team’s other drivers including Andy Lally and RJ Valentine, you have an extremely hard-to-resist package, and I can’t wait for the race.”

His teammates were equally impressed with Bourque’s performance. “Pierre did a great job and we are going to be just fine,” said Lally. He learns quickly and listens to the advice of his peers and that’s a teammate. I’m looking forward to having him on the same side.”

No matter what kind of racecar Bourque grabs track time, he knows that the seat time is crucial. “The two days on track were all about learning about the track, the car and the team. However, my times kept coming down and my speeds kept going up, the end result being that despite being limited in terms of laps because of rain, I am already at a point where I am competitive and I view the whole experience as a huge jump forward for when we come back here for official testing in early January.”

Bourque has secured sponsorship for the 24 Hours of Daytona with the official announcement to be made public at a later date.

As far as his other 2007 racing plans, Bourque is working around-the-clock to lineup his year, which will include the inaugural 2007 NASCAR Busch Series race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve next August.

“Nothing is set in stone, but I’m working hard to be racing full-time next year,” added Bourque. “This year was a great learning experience for me and I’m thankful for the opportunity that I received. I’m a winner, I want to win next year and that’s my biggest goal.”

For more information on Pierre Bourque, please visit http://www.pierrebourque.com/

For additional input on TRG, please logon to http://www.theracersgroup.com/

###

FROM: Chris Knight, Bourque Racing

IHRA CHANGES GRAND BEND AND NEW HAMPSHIRE DATES FOR 2007

NORWALK, Ohio (November 8, 2006) IHRA has announced a change to the 2007 eMax Nitro Jam" Drag Racing Series schedule. The MOPAR Canadian Nationals at Grand Bend (Ontario) Motorplex will be held July 20 22 and the Amalie Oil North American Nationals at New England (Epping, N.H.) Dragway moves to August 10 12.

The North American Nationals, previously held in September and originally scheduled next year in July, has been moved to August to accommodate an unforeseen conflict for one of the event sponsors.

After releasing the 2007 schedule in October, there became an event conflict with one of our major partners for the North American Nationals, said IHRA vice president of race operations Skooter Peaco. The new weekend in August allows us to avoid conflicts with any other event in the area. It gives the event the full attention in the market, which will be good for everyone.

Originally scheduled the first weekend in June, the MOPAR Canadian Nationals will move to the newly opened July 20 22 weekend.

By moving the event, it not only eliminates the need for race teams to make two back-to-back weekends, but moves the Canadian Nationals to a weekend that historically has experienced much better weather, said Peaco. The team at Grand Bend embraced the idea of moving their event into the peak tourist season and so did our partners at Mopar and Castrol. The Grand Bend area grows from a small town in early June to a booming town in July when beach season is in full swing. Not only will this change put the event in front of more spectators, it will give us better odds at having a great weather weekend.

- From IHRA

Kennington set to drive N.P.P.-sponsored Busch car at Phoenix

EDSON, AB – Canadian race fans will have an opportunity to cheer for one of their own this Saturday (November 11th). In a sport dominated by American drivers, the NASCAR Busch Series will see St. Thomas, Ontario’s DJ (Douglas James) Kennington race for the checkered flag in a Northern Provincial Pipelines Ltd. sponsored Dodge Charger.

“We purchased two race cars outright last month and have since bought a third,” says car owner and major sponsor Dwight Kennedy of Edson based N.P.P., “two of the cars came from Rusty Wallace the other from the Chip Ganassi racing team. We had to pretty them up a bit and then fit DJ into them.”

Kennington made his NASCAR Busch Series debut on October 28th in Memphis, Tennessee and finished a respectable 27th out of a 43 car field.

“We qualified in the middle of the pack (23rd) and finished near the middle of the pack,” indicates the 29 year old driver, “it was a huge confidence builder for all of us.” Kennington, who just completed his 14th year racing on the Cascar stock car circuit in Canada, started racing go-carts at the age of four.

“My goal my whole life has been to race in the States. It was just a matter of a guy like me getting the right breaks at the right time. The phone call from Dwight was one of those huge breaks.”

Northern Provincial Pipelines has been involved with racing south of the border on and off over the years.

“Last year we dipped our foot in the water by putting our name on a truck in the NASCAR Truck Series,” says Kennedy, “this time we decided to jump in with both feet with a race car (BUSCH Series).”

Kennedy is coming off a successful season of his own winning the 2006 N.P.P. Late Model Series and Castrol Raceway track championship in Edmonton.

“I race on the dirt. The plan all along was to hire a driver who is familiar with racing on pavement,” indicates Kennedy, “I needed a driver who has a good head on his shoulders, incredible reflexes and is race smart. I’ve watched DJ race several times and anybody I’ve talked with have told me he’s got what it takes.”

Kennington will familiarize himself on the one mile paved oval track this Friday afternoon before Saturday’s qualify session. The big race goes Saturday afternoon.

ARIZONA TRAVEL 200 – Saturday, November 11th // Qualifying: 10:00AM // Racing: 1:30PM // TELEVISION: NBC (Live) // Radio: XM Satellite

FROM: GORD CRAIG

There were reports that he was gunning for Bourdais at the 19th hole....

From TSN.ca

According to a report in the Toronto Star, Paul Tracy may miss this season's final Champ Car race with a broken right shoulder blade.

Tracy, who currently sits fifth in the standings, suffered the injury while driving a golf cart after he had been drinking in Las Vegas.

"Sorry to say it was self-inflicted,'' Tracy told the Toronto Star. ''I was at a party and had a little too much to drink, and we thought it was a good idea to go out on a golf cart and try and jump some sand dunes with it.''

Tracy told the paper he injured his shoulder when the cart landed on top of him after trying to jump a sand dune.

UPDATE (11/07/06):

So much for PT being a straight shooter... today's version has been sanitized.

''This story has gotten blown way out of proportion,'' Tracy said in a press release. ''Basically what happened is that I was out with some friends playing around with an ATV that I own and it just got a little out of hand, I flipped it over and it landed on top of me. The first three or four days I was making a lot of progress and I thought that I was going to be ok for Mexico. I was doing therapy and some exercises and I think I just overdid it, I just went backwards really fast and the injury got worse.''

How plastered do you have to be to not be able to tell the difference between a golf cart and an ATV?


Lame.

MX for Children.... your chance to win incredible access to the upcoming Toronto Supercross event

STICKY POST: HEADLINED until Friday, Nov. 3. See below for more current news.

Here's your chance to help Toronto's Sick Kids Hospital and have an opportunity to win incredible 'behind the scenes' access to the upcoming Amp'd Mobile Supercross at Rogers Centre, on Nov. 30 - Dec. 2.

The Inside Line Experience is a package of exclusive opportunities at the Amp’d Mobile Supercross of Toronto, giving participants an unforgettable experience for this event.

Hang out with top supercross racers in a small group, in a relaxed environment. Attend the Supercross press conference. Watch a private practice at Rogers Centre. Tour a factory rig. Walk the track. And get a pit pass and great seats!

Click here to download a pledge form.

After you have a pledge form, all you have to do is make a donation to Sick Kids Hospital Foundation OR get your friends, family , co-workers and/or corporations to pledge donations. The top 10 fundraisers over $500 by November 21, 2006 will win a pair of passes to the Inside Line Experience at Toronto Supercross!

- with files from mxforchildren.org

G.P. of Toronto: SCCA SPEED World Championships on support series card for '07

TORONTO, ON - The 2006 Champ Car World Series is barely coming to a close, however the Grand Prix of Toronto is on its way to securing one of the best on-track line-ups in the event s 21-year history, ensuring another REVolutionary year of racing on Toronto s streets. The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and the Grand Prix Association of Toronto announced today that the SCCA SPEED World Challenge Championships will race on the Exhibition Place track July 6th, 7th at 8th, 2007.

We are committed to delivering world-class racing to people who attend our event, says Charlie Johnstone, president and CEO, Grand Prix Association of Toronto. The SCCA SPEED World Challenge Championships are a natural fit. We already feature the premier open-wheel racing series in North America with the Champ Car World Series and the Champ Car Atlantic Championship and now it will be complemented with the most relevant, top production car road racing series in the world.

The SCCA SPEED World Challenge Championships are broken into two distinct sub-series that run separately from one another SCCA SPEED GT and SCCA SPEED Touring Car. These sub-series each feature an impressive field of up to 30 cars including the Aston Martin DB9, Cadillac CTS-V, Chevrolet Corvette, Dodge Viper, Porsche 911, Acura TSX, Audi A4, BMW 325i, Dodge SRT-4 and Mazda 6. Class horsepower range is 425-525 brake horsepower (bhp) for SCCA SPEED GT and 250-300 bhp for SCCA SPEED Touring Car with speeds reaching up to 240 km/h on the Grand Prix of Toronto track.

We re very excited to be a part of the Grand Prix of Toronto, which is one of the top motorsports events in North America, SCCA President and CEO Jim Julow said. We believe the race fans will enjoy our brand of racing with the SPEED World Challenge, which feature some of the most exciting production-based cars in the world.

REVolution. Evolution Only Faster!
The Grand Prix of Toronto is a week-long festival of speed that will feature excitement both on and off-track. The ever popular Thunder Alley will return hosting the Champ Car Paddock, autograph sessions, live entertainment and interactive games and exhibits. Also returning is the GPT Auto Expo the ideal place to take a break from the heat in the air-conditioned Direct Energy Centre featuring the support series garages, interactive games, exhibits and show cars.

Racing for Kids
Leading up to race-weekend the Grand Prix Charitable Foundation will again host a week of events to support local children s charities. In 2006, the Foundation raised more than $200,000 with events like the Grand Prix Bike for Tykes to the hottest ticket in town with the Drivers Party. Since its inception in 1986, the Foundation has raised more than $5.5 million for local charities.

About the Grand Prix Association of Toronto
The Grand Prix Association of Toronto is the owner and promoter of the Grand Prix of Toronto. For the past 21 years, Torontonians have celebrated a long-weekend of world-class racing on their streets. The event will return to Toronto s Exhibition Place on July 6, 7 and 8, 2007 with a spectacular festival of international racers and exciting off-track entertainment. Tickets are on sale now at www.grandprixtoronto.com or by calling 416.588.RACE (7223).

Join the REVoluton. Evolution Only Faster!

-30-

From: Andrea Hynes // Manager, Communications // Grand Prix Association of Toronto

ACT heading to Kawartha in mid-September

The past few seasons, the CASCAR Super Series wrapped up its schedule with events at Kawartha Speedway in the middle of September.

The new NASCAR Canadian Tire Series will either finish up at another time or another place, because the American Canadian Tour (ACT) has just announced that it will be putting on an event at Kawartha on Sept. 15.

Here is the ACT release:

ACTION SUPER SERIES ADDS RACE TO 2007 SKED

WATERBURY, VT -- The American-Canadian Tour (ACT) announced today (Wednesday, November 1), the addition of a high paying race to the 2007 ACT Late Model schedule. For the first time in the Series’ history, the competitors will travel to the 3/8th mile Kawartha Raceway (Peterborough, Fraserville, ON) for a 200-lap event on Saturday, September 15.

“That’s awesome news!” said enthused six-time and 2006 ACT Champion Jean-Paul Cyr, “I’d have to say that Kawartha is one of my favorites – it’s smooth and fast – a real racy track. Its configuration allows you to run hard. That race will be a whole lot of fun.” Cyr, along with a couple of other ACT Tour competitors, attended a couple of races at the wide, semi-banked speedplant in 2005, competing with the area’s top Late Model teams as an experiment in integrating the Ontario Late Model rules with those of ACT.

Mark Lamberton of Mooers Forks, NY was another of the ACT drivers to venture to the Canadian speedplant in 2005, “Kawartha is a great track, plus, other than Airborne, it’s the closest track to where I live, which will make for an easy commute,” he stated. The fifth place finisher in the 2006 standings continued,”The facility is awesome – it’s fast, smooth and the pits are nice. We had a great experience there. The only problem I had was getting my parents out of the casino!” Kawartha Raceway is located in a unique setting – on site there is a casino as well as a 5/8ths mile Euro-designed standard bred horse track which encircles the stock car track.

“We were pleased with the initial results of last year’s experiment but the timing was not quite right,” commented Derek Lynch, promoter at the suburban Peterborough venue. He continued, “There is a changing complexion among Late Model racing in eastern Ontario which opens the door for ACT‘s business model of highly competitive yet affordable racing. This newly announced race will only enhance the race experience for the hometown drivers as they go head-to-head with the best that ACT has to offer from throughout New England and Quebec.”

“A Super Series race at Kawartha Raceway will create an even playing field – very few of us have been there. Most of the tracks ACT races on are in New England and Quebec. They have been around for a while so few have progressive banking. While it’s fun to drive, it’s a challenge to get the car set-up,” Cyr explained. “Plus, ACT keeps bringing big money races to our Tour and that is great. This will probably be the highest paying stock car race held in that area in years and should bring lots of good race teams from all over.. Introducing the ACT rules in Ontario is good for racing in the Northeast – they’re the best out there – and it will help the keep the ACT expansion rolling,” he finished.

From ACT

Flemming Honoured at Carquest Pro Stock Tour Banquet

Courtesy Mike Ledwidge

Truro, NS – John Flemming of Halifax, NS was honored as the 2006 CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour Champion on Saturday night during the season’s end banquet.

Flemming was the only three time winner on the tour this season and fittingly enough, becomes the first three time champion on the tour. Flemming received a standing ovation from his peers to go along with the $10,000 check and big trophy that were given to him from CARQUEST’s John Garnhum and Mike Perrin. In his speech, Flemming thanked his car owner, Pat Ryder, and his Roofing Connection team for their support, as well as the fans, his family and the other competitors and officials that make the tour what it is.

The sixth season of the CARQUEST Maritime Pro Stock Tour came to a close with the awarding of the year end point and contingency bonuses totaling nearly $60,000. A capacity crowd of over 300 people including sponsors, car owners and drivers, crew members, tour staff and dignitaries enjoyed an incredible buffet at the Glengarry Best Western Hotel in Truro before the presentations celebrating the 2006 season.

The top twenty positions in final point standings were all included in the $50,000 points fund direct from CARQUEST. Twenty-three cars attempted to qualify for all eleven events of the 2006 season. The car count in the competitive CARQUEST Pro Stock tour has continued to grow every season that it has been in operation. For the third year in a row, eight different drivers took home a checkered flag in the main feature.

Finishing second and third in the final point standings was Wayne Smith of Timberlea, NS and Brad Mann from Campbellton, NB.

Flemming also won several contingency awards that were handed out at the banquet for various accomplishments throughout the season. He won the Parts For Trucks/Plasti-Kote Challenge, combining points from each of the Parts for Trucks races (at four different venues on the tour). He also captured the Atlantic Tiltload Most Laps Led Award and shared the Fast Track RV Sales Halfway Award with Smith.

Smith won the Atlantic Tiltload Hard Charger Award, gaining the most positions throughout the season. He also won the Pole Challenge Award, as he took the challenge to start twenty-fifth on the grid four times throughout the season. Three out of the four attempts, Smith elevated himself into a top five position from the twenty fifth starting spot to gain money and valuable points. The move helped elevate him from third to second in the year-end championship.

The EIT Race Radio Rookie of the year went to Russell Smith of Timberlea, NS. He also receives a new LEAF driving suit, courtesy of R&D Performancentre. Mike Stevens of Salisbury, NB and Sandy Livingstone of Springhill, NS were first and second runners up, respectively.

A special tribute was also given to Dave Potter of Cambridge, NS. The retiring Potter has been a fixture in auto racing in the Maritimes since 1988. In that timeframe, he never missed a points race at any level in which he competed. Potter started racing in 1988 in the old “Dukes” Division at Scotia Speedworld, before moving to Street Stock and then to Maritime Modified before turning to a Pro Stock car. Potter announced his retirement to his fellow competitors midway through the season and a slideshow of his racing career was shown in his honour. His fellow competitors also awarded Potter his sixth Most Sportsmanlike Driver award of his illustrious career.

This concludes the 2006 season of the CARQUEST Pro Stock Tour. Drivers can look forward to rules meetings in December and January. Following those meetings, they can expect the updated rules and procedures to be released. A schedule for the 2007 season is taking shape and should be made public in February or March.