Category: Other Series PR

Today’s IZOD IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights and Mazda Road to Indy headlines:

1. Sonoma is Franchitti’s home away from home

2.  USF2000’s Hargrove earns Team Canada Scholarship

1. Sonoma is Franchitti’s home away from home: Dario Franchitti has confidence heading into the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma.

The Scotsman is in the midst of a four-race stretch in which he’s finished in the top four, including three podiums, and leaped from 12th to sixth in the championship standings heading into the Aug. 25 race at Sonoma Raceway.

 “It’s nice to show the results that we’ve deserved,” Franchitti said. “Earlier this year, when we did have fast cars, we weren’t getting the results. We’ve managed to turn it around a bit. Recently we’ve had the form to get that first win of the season. Sonoma is as good a place as any to try and get that done.”

The 12-turn, 2.385-mile Sonoma road circuit historically is one of Franchitti’s best. He won there in 2009 en route to the IZOD IndyCar Series title, has five podium finishes in seven starts and has never finished worse than eighth. But he stopped short of saying it’s his best chance to win with five races left in the season.

“You do a lot of work to hope you can be in contention to challenge for a win,” Franchitti said. “That’s the thing with INDYCAR. With the way the series is, you can’t go, ‘I’m going to go out there and win.’ You can’t do that.

“You can put yourself in position to challenge for the win, but it’s so competitive, you can’t go out there and say you’re going to win it. You can put yourself in a position to challenge, but that’s as much of a prediction as you could make.”

IZOD INDYCAR SERIES TOP 10 AT SONOMA

2. USF2000’s Hargrove earns Team Canada Scholarship: Cooper Tires USF2000 point leader Scott Hargrove was selected as one of two winners of the Team Canada Scholarship for 2013. Hargrove will represent Team Canada at the 2013 Formula Ford Festival in October at the Brands Hatch Circuit in England.

Hargrove, a native of Surrey, British Columbia, is in his first full season of Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda competition and has three wins in the Mazda Road to Indy entry level series. The 18 year-old, who leads Neil Alberico by 46 points with four races remaining, will be joined by a second Team Canada Scholarship driver to be named shortly.

“Once again it has been a difficult decision to select just one from the talented pool of drivers we had nominated from the USF2000 Championship,” said Team Canada Scholarship founder Brian Graham. “The interviews were all very good, and any one of the young finalists would have been worthy. In the end, Scott’s performance on track, as well as his off-track work and presence really impressed us. We were fortunate enough this season to attend three INDYCAR events and see first-hand the hard work each of the drivers do. It also gave us an opportunity to watch some young drivers who will be contenders next season for the Team Canada Scholarship.”

***

The next IZOD IndyCar Series race is the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma on Aug. 25 at Sonoma Raceway. The race will be televised live at 4 p.m. (ET) by NBC Sports Network and broadcast by the IMS Radio Network, including on Sirius and XM Channels 211, www.indycar.com and the INDYCAR 13 App for most smartphones and tablets. The next Firestone Indy Lights race is the Baltimore 100 on Sept. 1 on the streets of Baltimore. The race will be televised by NBC Sports Network at 1 p.m.

WATERTOWN, Conn.—August 16, 2013— David Gravel continues to recover from a double ear infection and a bout with mononucleosis and will miss the two scheduled World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series events this weekend at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D., and Nodak Speedway in Minot, N.D. Gravel will rejoin the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series when he is cleared by doctors to return to action.

The native of Watertown, Conn., is currently eighth in the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series championship standings and was victorious on the opening night of the Knoxville National last weekend. Along with his win at Knoxville, he also picked up a victory at I-94 Speedway in Minnesota in May.

Keep up-to-date with David Gravel and DDR Motorsports by visiting www.DavidGravel89.com. Follow David on Twitter @davidgravel89gand like David on Facebook.

The OSCAAR Modifieds return to Delaware Speedway this weekend for the first of three 50-lap feature events of the 2013 campaign. Ontario’s premier open-wheel tour will be joined by the ISMA (International Super Modified Association) Super Modifieds on Friday night as the world’s most powerful asphalt short track cars compete at the London-area ½-mile.

Friday night marks the first time OSCAAR has used time trials to setup Klotz Canada qualifying heat races this season for the Modified tour. Time trials have only been used one other time in the series’ 21 race history, taking place last September for the Rick Woolner Memorial.

Starting position will certainly be key for the extended event as drivers will be competing for a double purse and $800 to win. The starting lineup will be determined through a combination of time trial results and heat race points.

A full field of OSCAAR Modifieds is expected in attendance for the double-shot weekend after 17 modifieds made the trip to the high-banked 3/8-mile at Kawartha Speedway last weekend, where part-time driver Darren Kearnan earned his first career tour win.

Several drivers gained useful knowledge for high-speed tracks last Sunday at Kawartha which will be applied to this weekend at Delaware. Significant changes are in order to setups, however, as drivers prepare their cars in a short four day window for a much flatter track at Delaware. Drivers will be allowed two new Hoosier 1040 slicks for Saturday’s feature, up from the usual one tire limit.

Delaware Speedway FT Garage Late Model regular Justin Demelo (No.82) had an impressive second-place finish last weekend at Kawartha. Demelo said following the race he planned to save his new tires for the series’ final event of the season at his home track. The London native has two runner-up finishes this season (Delaware, Kawartha) and one win at Sunset Speedway on June 30. Demelo is exceptionally hungry for his first career OSCAAR win at his home track, so expect the part-time entry to be at the top of his game.

Sophomore pilot Davey Terry (No.14) quietly had a very competitive sixth-place finish at Kawartha last weekend. After starting 12^th, Terry progressively made his way through the field and likely was five laps shy of earning a top-five finish. ‘The Erin Express’ has historically been at a disadvantage at Delaware with a 602 GM crate motor powering his Wasteco entry, but look for him to overcome the hump in his fourth-career start at the big ½-mile.

Series point leader Gary McLean (No.8) enters this weekend fresh off a fourth-place finish at Kawartha, a rare finish off the podium. McLean finished third at Delaware earlier this year on old tires and is likely to have managed his tires well in preparation for Saturday’s main event. The Conn, Ont. driver will be without his crew chief Greg Gibson, but the McLean Industrial Design sponsored team has plenty of experience to work from anyhow.

Matt Barton (No. 2) returned to the tour last weekend after a three race hiatus. The New Hamburg, Ont. driver survived motor issues at Kawartha to finish 10^th, an impressive result considering a start seemed a long shot early on last Sunday. Barton will be in good position to grab a top-five finish this weekend.

Rookie points leader Branden Bullen (No.67jr) had a rough entry last week at Kawartha. The third-generation driver has not started at Delaware in a modified, so look for him to overcome the learning curve quickly with the help of father Phil Bullen for a top-10 finish.

Fellow rookie Shane Stickel (No.39) had a strong ninth-place outing at Kawartha, his first trip to the speedway. Stickel also runs the smaller 602 crate motor, but has previous experience at Delaware in the Canadian Vintage Modified division. The Kitchener, Ont. native spoke earlier this week to say he has never competed in a feature longer than 30 laps in length, so Stickel will face new circumstances for the first time in his career.

Don’t count out former Delaware regular David McCullough (No.39M) either. McCullough’s looked strong in a win at Sauble Speedway on July 13 and more of the same is in order.

Rodney, Ont. native Ryan Dick (No.88) makes his second career start at Delaware with the OSCAAR Modified tour. Dick earned his first Klotz Canada heat race win last Sunday at Kawartha with an impressive pass around the outside of Demelo. If the rookie dirver can replicate that success in anyway this weekend, he will be battling on the cusp of a top-five result.

Speedway officials announced this week the top-three drivers in Saturday’s A-Main event will each receive $100 Petro-Canada fuel gift cards.

OSCAAR Modified time trials are scheduled to begin Friday night at 7:00pm while the first green flag of the night is set to fly at 8:00pm. Spectator gates will open at 5:00pm, allowing full access to both ISMA and OSCAAR practice. Delaware Speedway’s Coca-Cola Super Stocks will also be in attendance for a 35-lap feature Friday night.

The green flag for the Saturday main event is scheduled to drop at 2:00pm. Spectator gates will open at 1:00pm ahead of an OSCAAR driver autograph session scheduled for 1:20pm.

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Directions: For directions to Delaware Speedway, please visit https://delawarespeedway.com/fan-guide/directions.

Tickets: Advance tickets are available online for Friday night’s event featuring the ISMA Super Modifieds. For more information, visit https://delawarespeedway.com/tickets/delaware-classic-isma.

ISMA Super Modifieds: For more information on the International Super Modified Association, find them online at www.ismasupers.com.

The OSCAAR Modified tour is presented by a number of dedicated sponsors throughout Ontario, including: Knightworks Design, Hoosier Racing Tire, Klotz Synthetics Canada, Race2way.ca, Dave Franks Photos, Dickson Printing, Finishline Fabrication, McColl Racing Enterprises, McGunegill Engine Performance, Stefko Racing Engines, VP Racing Fuels, OntarioOval.com, RaceTime Radio, Inside Track Motorsport News, Jenco Equipment, Midas of Orangeville, Reinhart Trailer Sales, North Toronto Auctions, and South Shore Services.

Clayton Johns (@cjohnsmedia)

OSCAAR Media and Public Relations

Photo Credit: Dan Little Jr.

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NEW CASTLE, Ind.— Aug. 15, 2013— Many drivers have won at the Illinois State Fairgrounds over the years in USAC competition, as well at Angell Park Speedway, but not too many have won at both of the historic dirt tracks. Tracy Hines is a member of a very select list of drivers that has conquered the one-mile oval in Springfield, Ill., as well as the one-third-mile bullring in Sun Prairie, Wisc. He’ll have a chance to add to his win total at each this weekend as a doubleheader awaits.

Hines hits the track in the Lightfoot Racing Beast on Saturday, Aug. 17 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds with the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series for the running of the Tony Bettenhausen 100. He then heads north to Wisconsin with the Honda USAC National Midget Series Dirt Championship on Sunday, Aug. 18 for an event at Angell Park Speedway.

Hines was victorious at the Illinois State Fairgrounds with the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series in 2006. The 2000 series champion started on the pole on the one-mile dirt oval that afternoon and led all 100 laps. Hines has finished in the top-10 in two of his last three starts at track and was 13th last season. The veteran driver made his debut at the Springfield Mile in 1995 with the Honda USAC National Midget Series. Hines, the current Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series point leader, was victorious in the series most recent event at the Belleville High Banks in Kansas.

“After how well we ran at Belleville, we feel pretty good going into Springfield,” said Hines. “I’ve had some good runs there over the years. We were a little bit off last year, but learned a few things in that race that should help us this time around. We ran pretty good at the Indy Mile back in May, so we know we have a pretty good combination for the miles this year.”

Hines piloted the Parker Machinery Spike to a third-place finish at Angell Park Speedway in June with the Honda USAC National Midget Series, after leading 13 laps early in that A-Feature. The race was tri-sanctioned with the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series and Stark Automotive Group/Mid-State Equipment Badger Midget Series. Hines won a total of seven times in 2001 and 2002 at Angell Park Speedway, including winning the Fireman’s Nationals back-to-back each of those years.

“We led quite a few laps at Sun Prairie (Angell Park Speedway) earlier this season and just came up a little short at the end,” he shared. “We’ve been near the front in our last handful of dirt midget races and really want to pick up a couple of wins before the end of the season. We’ve won on the pavement and are doing really well on that side, so all in all, we are pretty pleased with our midget program this year.”

Heading into the Tony Bettenhausen 100 for the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, Hines leads the series standings on the strength of one win, along with four top-five finishes in five starts. With the Honda USAC National Midget Series Dirt Championship, he sits third in points, having recorded nine top-10 finishes.

“We are getting to that time of the year when we only have a couple races each week, so we definitely want to make the most of them,” Hines said. “Springfield (Illinois State Fairgrounds) and Sun Prairie (Angell Park Speedway) have been pretty good to me over the years and we head in them both with some momentum and confidence on our side.”

Tracy Hines Racing would like to thank: Hansen’s Welding Inc., Parker Machinery, Motor City Auto Transport, Turbines, Inc., Afco Racing Products, Daum Crop Insurance, Schoenfeld Headers, Allstar Performance, Kenny’s Components, Race Bumpers and Bell Racing.

For more information on Tracy Hines Racing, visit http://www.tracyhinesracing.com. Follow Tracy on Twitter atwww.Twitter.com/TracyHinesRacin.

Concord, NC (August 15, 2013) – Seventeen-year-old Taylor Ferns will be making her Springfield dirt mile debut this weekend pulling double duty in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards and the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series.

Racing on both dirt and pavement has helped Taylor become of the most versatile young drivers in the country.

Honing her skills in the open wheel ranks, the Shelby Township, Mich. teenager has expanded her horizons this year by competing in a select number of ARCA races with Venturini Motorsports.

Already with several ARCA short track events under her belt Taylor made her first superspeedway start a couple of weeks ago at the historic Pocono (Pa.) Raceway and will now show her true versatility as she takes to the famed one-mile dirt oval at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois.

Taylor will compete this weekend in both ARCA’s Allen Crowe Memorial100, driving the No. 55 Motor City Transport Toyota for Venturini Motorsports and the Tony Bettenhausen 100 race for the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series in the No. 35 Toyota-powered Beast for Team 6R.

The 51^st annual Allen Crowe Memorial 100 will be Taylor’s first ARCA event on dirt.

The Tony Bettenhausen 100 for the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series will mark the second one-mile dirt-race that Ferns has competed in this season. She made her first Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series start on a one-mile dirt oval in May, in the historic Hoosier 100 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. That race also was the first dirt start in a Silver Crown car for the winningest female driver in USAC history.

“Having raced a Silver Crown car on the dirt at the Indy Mile definitely helps and I can take some of what I learned there over to Springfield this week,” said Ferns. “On a mile track you are going so much faster than on say a half-mile, so the main thing is to make sure you know where to get into the corner so don’t lose any corner speed. In a 100-lap Silver Crown race you use the same philosophy you do in a stock car and that is to take care of your equipment at the beginning so you can be there at the end.”

Taylor will open the weekend with practice for the Tony Bettenhausen 100 on Saturday, Aug. 17, followed by two laps of qualifying, which will set the starting lineup for the 100-mile main event.

Practice for the ARCA Allen Crowe 100 is scheduled Sunday morning from 9:00-10:00 a.m. with Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell following at 11:15. The 51st annual Allen Crowe Memorial 100 starts at 1:30 p.m. All times are local.

The Allen Crowe Memorial 100 will also be the third ARCA Racing Series race that will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network. NBC Sports Network’s ARCA racing coverage of the Allen Crowe Memorial 100 premieres Friday, August 23 at 11 p.m. ET.

Taylor is also schedule to pull double duty at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in DuQuoin, Ill., Sept. 1–2, which will feature another 100-lap event for both the ARCA Racing Series and the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series.

Taylor Ferns and Ferns Racing would like to thank their valued partners: Motor City Auto Transport Inc., National Auto Placement, FK Rod Ends, Lucas Oil, K&N Filters, Lansing Sanitary Supply (LSS), Simpson Race Products, Indy Race Parts, ButlerBuilt, Allstar Performance,Stanton Racing Engines, Hoosier Tire Midwest, Lyn St. James Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation, Race4Girls and Racing2Cure.

Keep up to date
For the latest news, results and information on Taylor Ferns and Ferns Racing and to view a full 2013 schedule, visit TaylorFerns.com. Follow Taylor on Twitter at @TaylorFerns and like her on Facebook.

Today’s IZOD IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights and Mazda Road to Indy headlines:

1. Castroneves motivated to maintain momentum 

2.  Dixon focused on road ahead

1. Castroneves motivated to maintain momentum: With 20 drivers still mathematically eligible for the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series title, Helio Castroneves knows there is still a lot of racing left in the season and a lot of points on the table.

The Team Penske driver holds a 31-point lead over Scott Dixon and has a 65-point cushion over Ryan Hunter-Reay, the reigning series champion, entering the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma on Aug. 25. 

Castroneves says his mindset heading into the final five races is the same one he’s had since the start of the season: Take what you can get.

 “(At Mid-Ohio) we took the necessary risk, not the unnecessary risk and I was proud of myself to judge that,” said Castroneves, who finished sixth in the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, one spot ahead of Dixon and one position behind Hunter-Reay. “When I saw Scott was behind me and that Hunter-Reay was in front of me it was like ‘OK, boys. If they try to do something silly it will benefit me.’ They’re experienced enough though to do the same.”

The result meant Castroneves recorded his 10th consecutive top-10 finish and remains the only driver to complete every race lap. More importantly, he didn’t lose much ground to his championship rivals.

 “It felt like a win with the expectations going into that race, what happened in the past, not having any yellows,” said Castroneves, , who’s been involved in the title chase four of the past five years at this point of the season but never in first place. “We were able to put ourselves in that position and stay ahead of our main competitors in the championship. Hey, I’ll take it. We have to keep doing what we’re doing; it’s been working.”

Castroneves turns his focus on the 2.385-mile, 12-turn road course in Sonoma, Calif., where he’s posted five top-10 finishes (including a 2008 victory that broke a 30-race winless streak). 

He’s qualified in the top five in each of the eight races at the track, and a Team Penske car has won four of the past five races (Ryan Briscoe in 2012, Will Power in 2011 and ’10 and Castroneves in ’08).

“We know what we’ve achieved in the past,” said Castroneves, who is recovering from a hard crash on Aug. 9 during a Stock Car Brasil practice on a street course in his native Brazil. “I sent notes to my engineer the morning after Mid-Ohio about where we’re strong and the tires are the same. Hopefully, it will benefit us at Sonoma.”

2. Dixon focused on road ahead: Scott Dixon won his first two IZOD IndyCar Series titles five years apart.

It’s been five years since he won the title in 2008, but the Target Chip Ganassi driver is focused on the final five races of 2013, not history.

Leaving Mid-Ohio with a seventh-place finish, Dixon trails Helio Castroneves by 31 points in the championship. There are five races left, starting with the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma on Aug. 25 – plenty of opportunities to overtake the three-time Indianapolis 500 winner.

“The swing can happen,” Dixon said. “We were 92 points out (entering the July 7 race at Pocono), and now we’re only 31. It really shows the never-give-up attitude of the team.”

Ryan Hunter-Reay, who earned his first series title last year in the final race by a scant three points, is 65 points behind Castroneves. Andretti Autosport teammate Marco Andretti is fourth (76 points back). There are 20 drivers mathematically eligible for the championship entering the 85-lap race on the 2.385-mile, 12-turn Sonoma road course.

Dixon, who won at the track in 2007 and was runner-up in 2011, has won three of the past four races as Chip Ganassi Racing is on a four-race winning streak (Charlie Kimball earned his first series victory at Mid-Ohio). He’s scored the most points of any driver on road/street courses, which comprise four of the final five events.

“We had a bit of an upset at Mid-Ohio, where it didn’t go our way, but we’ve got to bounce back and dig deep and try to get some good results for the last five,” Dixon said.

***

The next IZOD IndyCar Series race is the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma on Aug. 25 at Sonoma Raceway. The race will be televised live at 4 p.m. (ET) by NBC Sports Network and broadcast by the IMS Radio Network, including on Sirius and XM Channels 211, www.indycar.com and the INDYCAR 13 App for most smartphones and tablets. The next Firestone Indy Lights race is the Baltimore 100 on Sept. 1 on the streets of Baltimore. The race will be televised by NBC Sports Network at 1 p.m.

Fraserville, ON – Andrew Gresel (No.81 Sauble Falls/CUSW/London Recreational) started inside the front row for the Midas of Orangeville 50-lap A-Main and never looked back on Sunday night at Kawartha Speedway. Gresel led every lap of the main event to earn his second career OSCAAR win in his rookie season.

As the event victor, Gresel will also take home four new Hoosier Racing Tire slicks, courtesy of Midas of Orangeville.

Gresel fought off challenges from Brandon Watson (No.9 Shear Metal Products) on a number of different occasions and from Rob Clarke (No.49 Cars by Clarke/London Mechanical) in the closing laps as well.

Gresel’s second win of the season comes one week following his runner-up finish at Peterborough Speedway on August 3.

The Hepworth, Ont.-based Gresel survived a number of restarts in the main event of the evening. The first caution flew just four laps in when Jim Bowman (No.63 Remax/TMG Mortgages) got turned around in turn two.

Two laps later, Gary Passer (No.551 Jenco Equipment) spun in almost an identical spot to Bowman to bring out the caution.

The biggest caution of the night came on lap nine when Mike Beyore (No.54 Stemac/Millenium Crane) rolled to a stop off of turn two. Beyore had been running in the sixth spot when the caution came out. For the second race in a row, Beyore suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning inside the cockpit. The Whitby, Ont. driver is highly susceptible to the deadly gas after being poisoned several years ago.

Series officials were forced to display the red flag for nearly 10 minutes as it became apparent fluid had been laid down on the race track after the rear-end let go on Derrick Tiemersma’s car (No.7 Wayfreight/Spira Fire Protection) and quik-dry would need to be applied to the surface.

On the ensuing restart, Gresel got a fantastic start again, forcing Brandon Watson to fall in to line. Glenn Watson (No.22 Rival Office Solutions/Line-X), Jesse Kennedy (No.10 Cameron Crane/Bev’s Auto Body), and Rob Clarke made up the top-five.

The field ran 24 laps of consecutive green flag racing with Gresel and Brandon Watson pacing the field. The two-drivers led by nearly a full straightaway over Kennedy who sat third.

Things went awry on the ignition system on Brandon Watson’s car with 33 laps complete which put the No.9 car off the pace. Watson rolled to a stop on the front-stretch and had to be pushed to pit lane. The team was eventually able to re-fire the car, but only after falling three laps off the pace.

One final restart on lap 35 pitted Gresel and Clarke side-by-side for the final time, but nobody had anything for the rookie driver. Gresel cruised over the final 15 laps to earn his second career win and take a strangle hold on the rookie points lead.

Clarke would finish second while 2013 Don Biederman Memorial champion Dwayne Baker (No.48 Baker Performance Parts/St. Onge Recreation) would battle his way to the third spot at the end of 50 laps.

Glenn Watson was fourth, Kennedy came home fifth, while Shane Maginnis (No. 03 Budds’ GMC) was sixth and Tyler Hawn (No.42 Stewart Carriers Ltd./Belford Haulage) was the final car on the lead lap in the seventh spot.

The OSCAAR Super Late Model tour return to action in two weeks’ time on Saturday August 24 at Peterborough Speedway. For a full schedule of events, stay tuned to www.oscaar.ca .

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Results

Midas of Orangeville 50 at Kawartha Speedway – Aug. 11, 2013 (Starting Position in Parentheses)

1. 81 Andrew Gresel (1)

2. 49 Rob Clarke (6)

3. 48 Dwayne Baker (11)

4. 22 Glenn Watson (4)

5. 10 Jesse Kennedy (2)

6. 03 Shane Maginnis (7)

7. 42 Tyler Hawn (16)

8. 2 John Owen (12)

9. 83 Ian Bourque (13)

10. 63 Jim Bowman (14)

11. 551 Gary Passer (18)

12. 9 Brandon Watson (3)

13. 00 Wayne Isaacs (10) (DNF)

14. 71c Ethan Courneyea (17) (DNF)

15. 07 Todd Campbell (20) (DNF)

16. 54 Mike Beyore (5) (DNF)

17. 7 Derrick Tiemersma (9) (DNF)

18. 04 Rudy Oppersma (15) (DNF)

19. 57 Craig Stevenson (19) (DNF)

20. 70 Jeff Hanley (DNS)

21. 82 Corey Jones (DNS)

Klotz Synthetics Canada Qualifying Heat Race Winners: 49 Rob Clarke (2), 9 Brandon Watson, 22 Glenn Watson, 7 Derrick Tiemersma, and 10 Jesse Kennedy.

The OSCAAR Super Late Model tour is presented by a number of dedicated sponsors throughout Ontario, including: Knightworks Design, Hoosier Racing Tire, Klotz Synthetics Canada, Race2way.ca, Dave Franks Photos, Dickson Printing, Finishline Fabrication, McColl Racing Enterprises, McGunegill Engine Performance, Stefko Racing Engines, VP Racing Fuels, OntarioOval.com, RaceTime Radio, Inside Track Motorsport News, Jenco Equipment, Midas of Orangeville, Reinhart Trailer Sales, North Toronto Auctions, and South Shore Services.

By Clayton Johns (@cjohnsmedia) – OSCAAR Media and Public Relations

Contact: oscaar.media@gmail.com

Photo Credit: Dan Little Jr.

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Fraserville, ON – Darren Kearnan (No.46 TTR Transport) wasted little time proving he had the car to beat on Sunday night Kawartha Speedway, cruising to his first career OSCAAR Modified tour win.

Kearnan, a part-time driver  with the tour, made the pass for the lead around the outside of polesitter and championship points leader Gary McLean (No.8 McLean Industrial Design) on lap eight and was never challenged for the remaining 17 circuits in the 25-lap main event.

The only caution of the night came on lap nine when Brad Pearsall (No.1B Plaza Kia/Performance Signs) and Ryan Dick (No.88 Johnston Bros. Sand and Gravel) made contact and spun in turn four. Both drivers were able to re-fire and return to the field.

Kearnan got out to a comfortable lead on the ensuing restart as Justin Demelo (No.82 EMCO Waterworks/CAT Toromont) used the restart to jump up in to the second spot.

Max Beyore (No.91N Jeff Hanley Chassis) made his second career start with the tour and moved his way in to the top three by lap 20, shuffling Gary McLean to the fourth spot. The point leader continued to run ahead of Brent McLean (No.7 Bowmanville Home Hardware/RN Manufacturing), who sat fifth.

Kearnan extended his lead with each passing lap, never giving Demelo a glimmer hope of challenging for the lead. Unlike most of the field, Kearnan benefitted from four brand new tires in his first race of the season, unlike most drivers who were limited to one new Hoosier slick.

Demelo spoke after the race to say he ran the race on the tires he previously competed on at Sunset Speedway in order to save his new tire for next weekend’s race at his home track, Delaware Speedway.

The London, Ont. driver would finish second, but said in Knightworks Design victory lane he didn’t feel he would have been able to challenge Kearnan for the lead, even with a couple of extra laps.

Beyore would finish third in his Jeff Hanley-built chassis. In just two starts on the tour, Beyore has finished on the podium both times.

Gary McLean held on to the fourth spot for his fourth consecutive top-five finish while Brent McLean finished fifth.

Davey Terry (No.14 Wasteco) made an impressive run to the front after starting 12^th, but ran out of laps to crack the top-five.

Kearnan said in victory lane he hoped only to come out of the event with a top-five finish, and a feature win was certainly something the veteran driver was excited to take home.

The pilot of the No.46 stated he will run at the Autumn Colours Classic with OSCAAR on Thanksgiving weekend.

Rookie driver Ryan Dick won his first career Klotz qualifying heat race of the night with an impressive power move around the outside of Demelo in the fourth heat of the night.

The OSCAAR Modified tour is back in action next Friday and Saturday night at Delaware Speedway. The tour will run time trials and Klotz Qualifying heat races next Friday night, and will be joined by the ISMA SuperModifieds. Drivers will run a 50-lap A-Main Feature event on Saturday afternoon. For a full schedule of events, log on to www.oscaar.ca throughout the week.

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Results

Kawartha Speedway 25-Lap A-Main – August 11, 2013 (Starting Position in Parentheses)

1. 46 Darren Kearnan (3)

2. 82 Justin Demelo (5)

3. 91N Max Beyore (4)

4. 8 Gary McLean (1)

5. 7 Brent McLean (2)

6. 14 Davey Terry (12)

7. 77 Chad Strawn (6)

8. 38 Lane Zardo (7)

9. 39 Shane Stickel (10)

10. 2 Matt Barton (16)

11. 88 Ryan Dick (9)

12. 1B Brad Pearsall (8)

13. 79 John Harper (13)

14. 67jr Branden Bullen (11)

15. 62 Darryn Wright (17)

16. 48 Ted Patterson (14) (DNF)

17. 91 Mike Westwood (15) (DNF)

Klotz Qualifying Heat Race Winners: 77 Chad Strawn, 8 Gary McLean, 7 Brent McLean, 88 Ryan Dick, 46 Darren Kearnan, and 91N Max Beyore.

The OSCAAR Modified tour is presented by a number of dedicated sponsors throughout Ontario, including: Knightworks Design, Hoosier Racing Tire, Klotz Synthetics Canada, Race2way.ca, Dave Franks Photos, Dickson Printing, Finishline Fabrication, McColl Racing Enterprises, McGunegill Engine Performance, Stefko Racing Engines, VP Racing Fuels, OntarioOval.com, RaceTime Radio, Inside Track Motorsport News, Jenco Equipment, Midas of Orangeville, Reinhart Trailer Sales, North Toronto Auctions, and South Shore Services.

By Clayton Johns (@cjohnsmedia) – OSCAAR Media and Public Relations

Contact: oscaar.media@gmail.com

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