McIntosh takes pole and podium to wrap World Series campaign

Courtesy Power Hawk Racing

Barcelona, Spain – Canada’s Sean McIntosh rounded out an impressive rookie season racing in the 2006 World Series by Renault by capturing pole position and taking a third place podium finish in Race 2 today in Round 9’s season finale hosted at the Spanish Circuit de Catalunya.

In claiming his second podium of the season, following a second place finish at Spa-Francorchamps back in July, the 21-year-old Team KTR driver from Vancouver comfortably sealed sixth overall in the Driver Standings from a 30-strong field boasting some of the world’s most talented up-and-coming open-wheel racers competing in 420bhp 3.5-litre Dallara-Renault’s.

Race 2, Qualifying (Pole – Sean McIntosh (CAN), 1m27.115s)
Having qualified seventh for the previous day’s race, where he finished fifth, McIntosh was again on form around the 4.6km Barcelona track this morning. His first flying lap was good for second in the 15-car Group B outing but he held out to post an even quicker lap in the dying stages of the session to pip title-challenger Alx Danielsson to fastest lap by two hundredths of a second, the Canadian subsequently claiming his maiden World Series by Renault pole position. Group A’s fastest runner, Venezuala’s Pastor Maldonado, joined McIntosh on the front-row of the grid for this afternoon’s 26-lap race.

Race 2, 26 Laps (Winner – Alvaro Parente (POR), Victory Engineering)
A touch of wheel spin at the start of the race was enough to drop McIntosh from first to third heading into the first turn at the Circuit de Catalunya but from there the Canadian racer kept on the pace to ensure he held a top-three position throughout the race. Setting identical lap times with race-leader Pastor Maldonado and second-placed Alvaro Parente, a slick pit stop almost edged McIntosh ahead of Maldonado but the race lead went to Parente with Maldonado second and Sean third, the top-three running order remaining the same at the checkered flag!

Sean McIntosh - #6 Team KTR:
“It’s been a good day and a great way to end the season. Pole position was awesome and third at the flag was pretty good although naturally I’d have liked the win. You always want to win, the same goes for the championship but to take sixth overall in my rookie season competing across Europe in this field is a decent result. I’ve learned a lot, I’m certainly a stronger driver now and I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what the future holds regarding next season!”

For more info visit www.renault-sport.com / www.ktr.be.

Boniferro and Janzen pleased with PMRA season

By Bruce F. Mehlenbacher

Cayuga, ON – With intense competition and a different winner at each event, deciding the 2006 champion in the Pro Modified Racing Association series came right down to the last race.But with the cancellation of the Lancaster, NY race due to snow in early October, the title was awarded to Joe Boniferro and Kasey Janzen, who were tied in points.

“This has been a fantastic season,” stated Boniferro, of Niagara Falls, Ontario, and driver of the Smokin’ Joe’s 1999 Dodge Avenger. Boniferro won the Grand Bend Motorplex PMRA race over the Labor Day weekend, and is known in the series for his consistent times.

“I want to thank all the fans at our races,” he added. “They’ve been good fans. I also want to thank the tracks we went to this year for giving us a place to race.”The other 2006 PMRA champion is Kasey Janzen of St. Catharines, who has also been a big part of the series since its inception two years ago.

“I’m the PMRA’s biggest supporter,” said the driver of the KC Motorsports Chevy Lumina. “We put on a good show for the fans this year. We always came up to the line ready to race down the track.”

Janzen, who attended all five PMRA events this year, won the race held at St. Thomas Dragway in August.Both drivers will be back for next season, and both said they are looking forward to it. They also wanted to thank their sponsors for their support during the season.

BUSCH: JUAN PABLO MONTOYA TO RACE IN NASCAR BUSCH SERIES FORD 300, NOV. 18, AT HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY

HOMESTEAD, FL – (October 30, 2006) – Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) announced today that former Formula One star and NASCAR Busch Series rookie Juan Pablo Montoya will compete in the Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18. Montoya will drive the No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge under the lights on the Speedway’s 18 to 20-degree variable banking.

As a South Florida resident, Homestead-Miami Speedway is considered the ‘home’ track for the Colombian-born Montoya, where he is often spotted zipping around the Speedway’s karting track in his spare time. Although Montoya made his NASCAR Busch Series debut in Memphis, the Ford 300 will be his first opportunity to compete as a NASCAR driver in his adopted hometown.

“We are very excited about Juan Pablo’s participation in the Busch Series and look forward to welcoming him back to Homestead-Miami Speedway during Ford Championship Weekend this November,” said Speedway President Curtis Gray. “He has an extremely loyal and dedicated international fan-base and we know that many of his fans live right here within South Florida’s diverse population.

Richard Day writes about his late friend, WOO founder Ted Johnson

Richard Day, who was the longtime PR man for the World of Outlaws, wrote this piece on his late friend Ted Johnson, who founded the popular tour.

"In early January of 1987, I was a young sportswriter searching for a new career path when I saw “World of Outlaws” in the Sports Promotions section of the Dallas Yellow Pages. Not knowing if it was a group of gangsters or a Wild West show, I called the business and Ted Johnson belted out “World o’ Outlaws” as he answered the phone. His explanation of what his company was all about was so intriguing, I immediately said I was interested in working for him even though I had very little experience writing about auto racing. It just so happened that Johnson’s previous publicist, Gary Guehler, left the company a couple of months earlier to pursue other interests."

... continued at the link above.

ADVERTISER SPOTLIGHT: Carbotech Engineering

Carbotech Engineering

STICKY POST: This will be the top post until Monday, October 30. Check below for current news.

PAUL TRACY COMMITTED TO CHAMP CAR

Las Vegas, Nev. (October 27, 2006) - Paul Tracy is Champ Car’s 2003 champion and he leads the series with 30 wins and over 4000 laps led. He is, without question, the face of Champ Car and has entertained fans globally as the driver of Gerald Forsythe’s #3 Indeck car.

He is a man who has passion for his sport and who is driven to win. Most importantly, anyone who knows P.T. well will tell you that he is loyal. In his 15-year career, he has driven for only 4 teams, which is unheard of these days in a sport where drivers are quick to chase the big money and head to where the grass appears to be greener.

One of the most talented and colorful race car drivers in the business, Tracy has decided to remain loyal to Champ Car and abandon plans to participate in NASCAR in 2007. Tracy participated in six NASCAR Busch Series races in 2006 and showed signs of potentially having a successful career in stock cars.

But, Tracy knows where he comes from.

“I enjoyed my experiences in NASCAR and I appreciate the relationships that I have developed during my first season of stock cars, especially with Sport Clips and American Crew,” Tracy said. “However, Champ Car is where my heart is and it’s where I come from and it’s what has put me where I am today and what has given my family and I this lifestyle. I have a great relationship with Gerry Forsythe and I am committed to returning in 2007 and doing whatever I can to give Forsythe Racing another championship. I have a great team and I am fully committed to working with them to consistently put us in Victory Lane.”

He continued, “I can’t thank Gordon Logan at Sport Clips and John Mulgrew at American Crew enough for believing in me and giving me my first shot at NASCAR. I have great relationships with both of them and they will remain personal friends as well as personal sponsors. I am also appreciative of my relationship with Jim France and everything he did to help facilitate my entry into NASCAR.”

As for his former open-wheel counterparts defecting to NASCAR, Tracy was supportive but once again loyal to his series.

“I wish the best for A.J. Allmendinger and Juan Montoya in NASCAR, however I am committed to continuing my career in Champ Car and building the series in order that it will get both the national and global attention that it deserves. Champ Car is a great series that provides excitement week-in and week-out. In Australia, we had over 300,000 people there. Is that not exciting? Sure it is, and I want to be a part of it. Next season we open in Las Vegas and we also head to China. Great things are happening in Champ Car and people need to pay closer attention to what we have going on over here.”

# # #

From Doug Barnette // PMI

BUSCH: SHEPHERD TO PRACTICE AND QUALIFY ROUSH RACING'S NO. 60 FORD IN MEMPHIS

CONCORD, N.C. (October 25, 2006) - Roush Racing developmental driver, Peter Shepherd, will practice and qualify Carl Edwards' Busch Series No. 60 FreeCreditReport.com Ford Fusion this weekend in Memphis. This will be Shepherd's inaugural Busch Series event. Shepherd has competed in three NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races this season for Roush Racing, the first of which was at Memphis. Shepherd qualified 25th and finished 23rd in that race.

Carl Edwards is part owner of the USAC Silver Crown race car that Shepherd competed in this year and has helped Shepherd out with driving tips throughout the season. Now Shepherd can return the favor while gaining valuable seat time. With Edwards in Atlanta for the Nextel Cup race he will miss all Busch practice sessions and qualifying for Saturday's Sam's Town 250.

Shepherd will step in to practice and qualify the car while Edwards fulfills his Nextel Cup responsibilities in the No. 99 Office Depot Ford Fusion at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Shepherd is prepared to start the Busch race if Edwards does not make it to Memphis in time for the green flag.

"I am really thrilled for this opportunity," Shepherd said. "Pierre Kuettel (P.K.) and the whole No. 60 team are great at what they do and I can't wait to help out and learn at the same time. I hope we can get the No. 60 FreeCreditReport.com Ford Fusion handling just right so Carl can jump in and win the race."

Edwards said he had confidence in Shepherd's ability to perform.

"Peter has been doing a great job driving," Edwards said. "He finished the season driving my RE Technologies Silver Crown USAC Car, and I got a chance to spot for him in Chicago and was really impressed with him, just like everyone else. He is a super nice kid; he has a great family and will be a great driver. Peter has tested the Silver Crown car at Memphis and ran the truck there so we thought he would be the perfect guy to get the car set up and ready to race."

###

From Nancy Padula // Roush Racing