Category: Other Series PR

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 13, 2013) – The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 makes its annual trek eastward to the Canadian Maritimes for a date at Riverside International Speedway in Antigonish, N.S., for the Wilson Equipment 300 Supporting Red Cross Disaster Relief on Saturday, Aug. 17. Below is a statistical look at the recent performance of selected drivers at Antigonish, as well as some other statistical trends:

Antigonish Race Setup

·         Each of the last four Riverside race winners – Andrew Ranger (2009), D.J. Kennington (2010 and 2012) and Scott Steckly (2011) – have gone on to win the series championship.

·         Kennington is the only repeat winner on the high-banked Nova Scotia track.

·         Mark Dilley is the only series driver to log a top-10 finish in all six races at the Antigonish track.

·         Ron Beauchamp Jr. has four top-five finishes in his last five Riverside starts and five consecutive top 10s.

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series At Riverside International Speedway

·         This is the series’ seventh visit to the track that is a .333-mile scale version of the legendary Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

·         The Wilson Equipment 300 will premiere on TSN at 1 p.m. ET on Sun. Aug. 25 and on RDS2 at 7 p.m. ET on Fri., Sept. 13.

·         Each of the competing series manufacturers – Chevrolet, Dodge and Ford – has reached Victory Lane with Dodge leading the way at four.

·         The 2007 and 2009 events were postponed a day due to inclement weather.

·         There has been an average of 5.8 caution periods for an average of 47.2 laps in the six prior races in Antigonish, with the earliest coming on Lap 1 in 2007 and the latest at Lap 289 in 2008.

·         The lead has changed hands an average of 10 times in Riverside races with a high of 15 in the 2010 race.

·         The average starting position of the winner is 3.2, while the pole sitter has an average finish of 7.0.

·         The closest margin of victory is .202 seconds by Don Thomson Jr. in 2008 and the largest belongs to Andrew Ranger in 2009 at 9.159 seconds which holds the all-time series record for any track.

·         None of the previous Riverside events have been extended past the advertised 300-lap distance.

Riverside Data

Race: #11 of 12 (9/15/12)

Track Layout: .333-mile paved high-banked oval

Race Length: 300 laps (99.99 miles)

Records

1-Lap Qualifying: Scott Steckly, Dodge, 14.488 seconds, 82.973 mph, Sept. 18, 2010

300-Lap Race: Andrew Ranger, Ford, 1 hr., 30 min., 40 sec., 66.110 mph, Sept. 20, 2009

 

Race Winners

D.J. Kennington…………………………… 2

Mark Dilley………………………………….. 1

Andrew Ranger…………………………….. 1

Scott Steckly……………………………… 1

Don Thomson Jr. …………………………. 1

 

Pole Winners

J.R. Fitzpatrick ……………………………. 2

Scott Steckly ……………………………… 2

Peter Gibbons……………………………… 1

D.J. Kennington…………………………… 1

 

Manufacturer Wins

Dodge………………………………………. 4

Chevrolet……………………………………. 1

Ford………………………………………….. 1

 

Laps Led

D.J. Kennington………………………… 443

Scott Steckly……………………………. 376

J.R. Fitzpatrick………………………….. 261

 

Selected Driver Information:

Ron Beauchamp Jr. (No. 60 Mopar/Exide/Pennzoil Dodge)

·         Finished fifth last season at Riverside.

·         Best track finish in six starts was third in 2008.

·         Has led 65 laps at the Nova Scotia track.

·         Has top-10 finishes in three of his last four series starts.

·         One of four drivers to start all 83 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races.

 

Donald Chisholm (No. 89 Keltic Ford/Nova Construction Ford)

·         Placed sixth last year on his home track.

·         Finished a series career-best third last season in the 2011 Wilson Equipment 300.

·         Logged a fifth-place Riverside finish in 2009.

·         Has top 10s in three of his last four Antigonish starts in the series.

 

Mark Dilley (No. 02 Leland/BDI Ford)

·         Logged a third-place finish in last year’s Wilson Equipment 300.

·         Won the series’ inaugural visit to the Nova Scotia track in 2007.

·         Has four top-five finishes in six tries on the high-banked .333-mile oval.

·         Is the owner of three career Canadian Tire Series victories.

 

Noel Dowler (No. 5 EMCO/Praxair/Safety Kleen Dodge)

·         Posted a ninth-place effort last season at Riverside.

·         Scored an 11th-place finish in his 2011 track debut.

·         Has a top-10 finish in two of his last three series starts.

 

Louis-Philipe Dumoulin (No. 47 WeatherTech Canada/Bellemare Dodge)

·         Finished 11th a season ago in the Wilson Equipment 300.

·         Scored a 17th-place finish in his track debut in 2011.

·         Registered his first Canadian Tire Series victory in the season opener on May 19 on the road course at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

·         Scored his first career pole win last season at Trois-Rivieres, Quebec.

·         Was the 2011 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Rookie of the Year.

·         Made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut on Aug. 20, 2012 at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

 

J.R. Fitzpatrick (No. 84 Equipment Express Chevrolet)

·         Finished as the runner-up to D.J. Kennington last year at Riverside after leading 101 laps.

·         Also scored second-place finishes in the 2007 and 2008 Antigonish events.

·         Started from the pole position at Riverside in 2008 and 2012.

·         Has led 261 laps in five starts at the high-banked oval.

·         Is the series’ all-time leader in poles with 14.

·         Seven of his eight career series wins have come on road courses – CTMP (3), Edmonton (2) and Montreal (2); his oval track win came in July 2007 at Motoplex Speedway.

 

Alex Guenette (No. 39 Motos Illimitées/DLGL Dodge)

·         Making track debut this season.

·         Scored a season-best finish of second in last start on July 27 at St. Eustache, Que.

·         Trails Ryley Seibert atop the series’ rookie-of-the-year standings by just one point.

 

Jason Hathaway (No. 3 Snap-on Tools/Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge)

·         Recorded a 17th-place finish in last year’s Antigonish event.

·         Best track finish was fifth in 2010 covering six starts at the track.

·         Has top-10 finishes in four of his six Riverside starts.

·         One of four drivers to start all 83 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races.

 

D.J. Kennington (No. 17 Castrol Edge/Mahindra Tractors Dodge)

·         Is the defending race winner at Riverside International Speedway.

·         Also won the 2010 Antigonish event.

·         Has four top-five finishes in six starts on the Nova Scotia track.

·         Has led a series-high 443 laps at Antigonish.

·         Tops the all-time Canadian Tire Series wins list with 19.

·         Won 2010 and 2012 series championships.

·         Scored a single-season series record of seven wins in 2012.

·         One of four drivers to start all 83 NCATS races.

 

Martin Roy (No. 90 Batteries Expert/Veloce/Gamache Dodge)

·         Registered an eighth-place finish last year in his Antigonish debut.

·         Has a top-10 finish in five of his last seven series starts.

·         Won 2012 series Rookie-of-the-Year honors.

 

Ryley Seibert (No. 09 Lake Excavating/Emco Waterworks Dodge)

·         Making track debut in this year’s Wilson Equipment 300.

·         Scored a season-best finish of eighth on July 13 at his home track – Motoplex Speedway in Vernon, B.C.

·         Leads Alex Guenette in series’ Rookie-of-the-Year standings this season by one point.

 

Scott Steckly (No. 22 Canadian Tire Dodge)

·         Finished fourth last year at the Nova Scotia track.

·         Won the 2011 Antigonish event.

·         Has three straight top-five finishes at Riverside.

·         Has a slim four-point advantage over Kennington in the championship standings.

·         His 14 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series victories rank third on the all-time list.

·         Won 2008 and 2011 series championships.

·         One of four drivers to start all 83 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races.

 

Hugo Vannini (No. 97 VTI Motorsports Ford)

·         Registered a 16th-place finish a year ago at Riverside.

·         Best finish in three Nova Scotia starts was 12th in 2009 track debut.

·         Scored a series career-best finish of eighth at Delaware (Ont.) Speedway on June 15.

 

Jason White (No. 21 Bowers&Wilkins/Cathcart Trucking Dodge)

·         Recorded a track-best finish of seventh last year in Antigonish.

·         Scored a season-best finish of fifth on July 27 at St. Eustache, Que.

·         Was the 2008 series rookie of the year.

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

1.      Ultra-competitive season closing in on winners mark

2.      Briscoe returns to wheel at Sonoma test

3.      Hildebrand, Filippi to share Barracuda Racing ride

1. Ultra-competitive season closing in on winners mark: Of the nine drivers to win races in the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series season, four have been first-time winners (James Hinchcliffe, Takuma Sato, Simon Pagenaud, and most recently, Charlie Kimball).

Helio Castroneves and Scott Dixon are also among the nine winners this season. Castroneves, who leads Dixon by 31 points entering the Aug. 25 GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma, was also a winner in 2000 and 2001, in which there were a record 11 different winners, while Dixon was a race winner as a 20-year-old rookie during the 2001 CART season.

“It was a shock,” said Dixon, who at 20 years, 9 months, 14 days was then the youngest winner in Indy car history (a record which was eclipsed by 19-year-old Marco Andretti at Sonoma in 2006 and later broken by Graham Rahal in 2008). “We had set goals of maybe winning a race later on in the season.”

There have been seven different winners in the eight IZOD IndyCar Series races on the 2.385-mile, 12-turn Sonoma Raceway, and a 10th different winner this season is plausible.

Yet to score a race victory this season are Will Power – a two-time Sonoma winner and runner-up to Team Penske teammate Ryan Briscoe in 2012; Dario Franchitti (31 career wins), who has three podium finishes in the past four races; and Ed Carpenter, the 2012 Auto Club Speedway race winner.

“You really don’t know who’s going to win any race; it’s a mystery every weekend and you really have to be on top of your game to make sure you score maximum points. It’s a lot of fun and typical INDYCAR,” said reigning IZOD IndyCar Series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay, who has recorded two victories and is third in the standings.

DIFFERENT WINNERS THIS SEASON AND IN THE RECORD YEARS:

2013 SEASON

DRIVER	CIRCUIT	WIN NUMBER
James Hinchcliffe	St. Petersburg	1
Ryan Hunter-Reay	Barber	10
Takuma Sato	Long Beach	1
Tony Kanaan	Indianapolis	16
Mike Conway	Belle Isle	2
Simon Pagenaud	Belle Isle	1
Helio Castroneves	Texas	28
Scott Dixon	Pocono	32
Charlie Kimball	Mid-Ohio	1

2001 SEASON

DRIVER	CIRCUIT	WIN NUMBER
Cristiano da Matta	Monterrey (Mexico)	2
Helio Castroneves	Long Beach	4
Scott Dixon	Nazareth	1
Kenny Brack	Twin Ring Motegi	5
Max Papis	Portland	2
Dario Franchitti	Cleveland	7
Michael Andretti	Toronto	41
Patrick Carpentier	Michigan	1
Bruno Junqueira	Road America	1
Roberto Moreno	Vancouver	2
Gil de Ferran	Rockingham (England)	6

 2000 SEASON

DRIVER	CIRCUIT	WIN NUMBER
Max Papis	Homestead	1
Paul Tracy	Long Beach	16
Adrian Fernandez	Rio de Janiero	6
Michael Andretti	Twin Ring Motegi	39
Gil de Ferran	Nazareth	4
Juan Pablo Montoya	Milwaukee	9
Helio Castroneves	Detroit	1
Roberto Moreno	Cleveland	1
Cristiano da Matta	Chicago	1
Jimmy Vasser	Houston	9
Christian Fittipaldi	California	2

 

2. Briscoe returns to wheel at Sonoma test: Ryan Briscoe, who suffered a fractured wrist in Race 1 of the Honda Indy Toronto in mid-July, returned to the No. 4 National Guard Panther Racing car Aug. 13 during a manufacturer/team test at Sonoma Raceway in preparation for the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma on Aug. 25.

Eight teams tested at the 12-turn, 2.385-mile road course, including Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing with full-season driver Josef Newgarden and Lucas Luhr getting his initial seat time in an IZOD IndyCar Series car. Luhr, a five-time American Le Mans Series champion, has been confirmed to race in Sonoma in the No. 97 Honda-powered car.

Also seeing his first track time was 2012 Japanese Formula 3 champion Ryo Hirakawa in the No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing car. Hirakawa has been competing in the Super Formula (formerly Formula Nippon) series this season. Full-season driver Justin Wilson is driving the No. 19 car.

Also on the track were 2006 race winner Marco Andretti, James Hinchcliffe, Ryan Hunter-Reay and E.J. Viso (Andretti Autosport), Sebastien Bourdais and Sebastian Saavedra (Dragon Racing), Ed Carpenter (Ed Carpenter Racing), and James Jakes and Graham Rahal (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing).

Briscoe is the defending race winner at Sonoma and has finished in the top five each of the past five visits to Sonoma. He started on the front row last year next to then-Team Penske teammate Will Power, who has won the past three poles at the track.

3. Hildebrand, Filippi to share Barracuda Racing ride: JR Hildebrand, who made his second IZOD IndyCar Series at Sonoma Raceway in 2010, returns to the road course for the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma in the No. 98 Barracuda Racing car.

The team owned by Bryan Herta and Steve Newey announced that Hildebrand would drive the Honda-powered car in the Aug. 25 race and in the season-ending MAVTV 500 at Auto Club Speedway on Oct. 19, and that Luca Filippi would compete in the Grand Prix of Baltimore on Sept. 1 and the Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston doubleheader on Oct. 5-6.

Filippi made his series debut Aug. 4 in the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, advancing eight positions to finish 16th.

“I’m really excited to join Barracuda Racing this year, and have to give a big thank you to Bryan and the team for the opportunity,” said Hildebrand, 25, of nearby Sausalito, Calif. “Sonoma is where I got my racing start, so it’ll be great to have another new experience there with a new team, and one that I’ve heard nothing but great things about.

“The Sonoma racetrack is not only in my backyard, but Barracuda Networks’ also, so we’ll be working hard to make it a good one all around. I can’t wait to get started.”

Hildebrand, the 2009 Firestone Indy Lights champion, will participate in an IZOD IndyCar Series Open Test on Aug. 21 at the track.

Hildebrand has 12 top-10 finishes in 39 IZOD IndyCar Series starts, with a high of second in the 2011 Indianapolis 500. After making his series debut at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 2010 with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, Hildebrand returned to his home track (finishing 24th after contact).

He placed eighth in the race at Sonoma last August in the No. 4 National Guard Panther Racing car. Hildebrand was released by the team after the Indianapolis 500 in May. He had a best finish of fifth at Long Beach in five races this season.

Hildebrand led 56 laps last year on the 2-mile Auto Club Speedway oval in the season finale and finished 11th.

“JR is an exciting prospect for us,” Herta said. “He’s a talented driver and it made sense for him to be able to compete at his ‘home’ races in Sonoma and Fontana.”

Filippi, 28, of Italy, will get extensive seat time on temporary street circuits at Baltimore and Houston. The Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston is the third and final doubleheader of the season and will include a standing start for Race 1 on Oct. 5.

“We were very impressed with Luca and happy to give him two more outings,” Herta said. “He made a good impression on everyone, and this will allow him the chance to race on American-style street circuits.”

***

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 13, 2013— A case of mononucleosis has prevented David Gravel from competing in tonight’s scheduled World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series event at Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Neb. The native of Watertown, Conn., looks to return to action with the series on Friday, Aug. 16 at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D. for the third round of the Gerdau Ameristeel Northern Tour.

Gravel, who was victorious last week on the opening night of the 53rd Annual FVP Knoxville Nationals at Knoxville Raceway in Iowa, is currently seventh in the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series championship standings. He has earned 24 top-10 finishes this season, with seven of those being top-five showings. Gravel is the leading contender for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award with the World of Outlaws.

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

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

1.      Luhr would entertain switch to INDYCAR

2.      Carpenter hits the links with Zoeller

1. Luhr would entertain switch to INDYCAR: Lucas Luhr is the only American Le Mans Series driver to have won championships in three categories, but would enthusiastically switch to the IZOD IndyCar Series should a full-time opportunity present itself in 2014.

“For me, it’s very clear. If I had the opportunity to do a full season in INDYCAR I’d say, ‘Oh yeah, I’m in.’ There’s no question about it,” said Luhr, who will get his initial IZOD IndyCar Series seat time during a manufacturer/team test Aug. 13 at Sonoma Raceway. “Even if you do a full season in Indy car racing you have opportunities to do the long races in sports car racing. If that was the case, it would be a dream come true, even in my old age.”

Luhr, who turned 34 on July 22, leads the ALMS P1 class with co-driver Klaus Graf in the HPD ARX-03a for Muscle Milk Pickett Racing following their win at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (formerly Mosport) on July 21. Luhr’s next race is Aug. 11 at Road America, and the series joins the IZOD IndyCar Series on the streets of Baltimore on Labor Day weekend.

In between, Luhr will make his IZOD IndyCar Series debut in the Honda-powered No. 97 Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing car in the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma on Aug. 25.

Scheduled to share the 2.385-mile, 12-turn road course on Aug. 13 are Andretti Autosport (Ryan Hunter-Reay, Marco Andretti, James Hinchcliffe and E.J. Viso), A.J. Foyt Racing (Takuma Sato), Dale Coyne Racing (Justin Wilson), Dragon Racing (Sebastien Bourdais and Sebastian Saavedra), Ed Carpenter Racing (Ed Carpenter), Panther Racing (driver TBA) and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (James Jakes and Graham Rahal). Josef Newgarden will log laps in the No. 97 entry before Luhr takes over after the midday break.

 “The competition in INDYCAR this year is extremely tight and it’s a big challenge, especially with three-quarters of the season already over,” said the German, who will have his ALMS race engineer, Brandon Fry, along for the Sonoma events for continuity. “I look forward to it to getting in the car and get the first feeling for it and then do the race.

“I’ve raced there in the past but nothing like this. I’ve raced GT cars and with a prototype, which was more like a roll out and not really pushing it. Brandon has been involved in Champ Car and INDYCAR; he’s there to give me a familiar voice on the radio. At least that is a known factor in so many unknowns and new things for me. I have to learn a lot in a very short amount of time.

“I have to get my head around the car. I understand it technically and from the driving point of view, and now I have to get to know how the car reacts.”

Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing’s partnership with RW Motorsports led to the opportunity to add a car for the 85-lap race. Newgarden, the 2011 Firestone Indy Lights champion, heads into the race off a 23rd-place finish (mechanical issue early in the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio).

“I’ve always wanted to try Indy car and I never really pushed for it to happen. When this opportunity came up I said, ‘Of course, I’m in.’ It’s good for a team to have four eyes and to have two drivers share the work, have double the amount of data and two opinions Overall, that can be helpful.

“At the end of the day a car is a car and I’ve been in and out of several cars the last several years. I’ve worked with big manufacturers like Porsche and Audi but also have worked with small teams. Overall, I hope I can bring something that Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing can use in the future.”

2. Carpenter hits the links with Zoeller: IZOD IndyCar Series team owner/driver Ed Carpenter will join golfing greats Fuzzy Zoeller, Lee Trevino, Nancy Lopez and Champions Tour pros this weekend in the Fuzzy’s Wolf Challenge Pro-Am in New Albany, Ind.

Carpenter, whose race team is sponsored by Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka, enjoys playing when his schedule allows and participating in the event that raises funds for children’s charities.

“I’ll admit that my golf game is lacking at this point,” Carpenter said.  “But it is always great to assist Fuzzy at his big event each year. Plus his (Champions Pointe and Covered Bridge) golf courses are just amazing.  So it is fun to hack around and meet all of the people in attendance at the Wolf Challenge. I’m sure it will be another sensational event.”

Among the Champions Tour pros participating are Andy Bean, Chip Beck, Keith Clearwater, Hubert Green, Wayne Levi, Dana Quigley, Tom Wargo, D A Weibring and Esteban Toledo.

***

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 at on the streets of Baltimore. The race will be televised by NBC Sports Network at 1 p.m.

The OSCAAR Super Late Models invade Kawartha Speedway Sunday for the Midas of Orangeville 50 round eight of the 2013 tour and one of only two events at the speedway this season. The series is coming off its first trip to Peterborough Speedway last Saturday night and this weekend marks the bookend of three consecutive weekends in action.

Series points leader Brandon Watson (No.9) won last weekend at Peterborough, leading all 50 laps in the process. Watson’s consistency is the primary reason he sits atop the standings, he has yet to finish outside the top-five, and more of the same is expected come Sunday afternoon. The Stayner, Ont. driver is the latest winner at Kawartha, in last September’s Don Biederman Memorial. Kawartha has also served as Watson’s home track, so expect another strong finish from the top-gun.

Andrew Gresel (No.81) has quickly proven himself to be a force on the tour during his rookie season. Gresel has three podium finishes this season, including a win at Sauble Speedway and second-place finish last week at Peterborough. Gresel over took the Rookie points lead last Saturday with his runner-up finish and will be eager to earn another finish inside the top-three in his first Super Late Model trip to Kawartha.

Derrick Tiemersma (No.7) has continued his string of consistent runs, finishing third at Peterborough last weekend. Tiemersma has narrowly missed his first victory since 2010 on a couple of occasions this season and may only need the right circumstances to find the checkered flag. Look for Tiemersma’s seventh finish inside the top-five this season.

John Owen (No.2) had an impressive return to the tour last weekend at Peterborough with a fifth-place finish. Owen considers Kawartha as his adopted home track after his daughter spent the past few seasons competing at the track’s Durham Kart Club. Owen should bring another top-five caliber car to Kawartha tonight in front of his hometown fans.

Kevin Cornelius (No.17) started on the pole at Peterborough, but a lap one incident put him to the back of the field. Cornelius managed a top-ten finish nonetheless, but is looking to get back in to the top-five once again. Cornelius’ big Leitch motor will get a chance to perform on the biggest track this season at Kawartha’s 3/8-mile oval. What remains to be seen is if Cornelius will be affected by an injury he sustained to his right hand in a work accident this week.

Tyler Hawn (No.42) also battled back after being involved in the lap one wreck to finish 10^th at Peterborough last week. Hawn lost the entire nose off his car on the opening lap last Saturday which hampered his efforts. The Oro Station, Ont. driver battled back and is looking forward to putting his new motor on display at Kawartha for the first time.

Four-time series champion Glenn Watson (No.22) had a strong fourth-place finish at Peterborough last weekend. ‘The Red Rocket’ however, is anxious to get a win. Glenn has made several trips to Knightworks Design victory lane at Kawartha over the course of his career, so Sunday is as a good a time as any for the veteran driver to shake the monkey.

Klotz Synthetic Lubricants Canada will award special prizes to the 50-lap A-Main winner following the race and will sponsor all qualifying heat races.

Racing gets underway at 4:30pm on Sunday August 11 for the OSCAAR Super Late Models Midas of Orangeville 50, who will be joined by the OSCAAR Modifieds and Brighton’s Speedways Vanderlaan dirt Pro Late Models. The pit gate will open at 11:00am for competitors.

A ‘Show & Shine’ will begin at 12:00pm when spectator gates open, with over 100 hot rods expected to be in attendance for the Syracuse Nationals and Right Coast Cars associated event.

—

Direction: For directions to Kawartha Speedway, visit http://www.kawarthadowns.com/19p_directions.htm.

Tickets: General Admission, including pit access, is just $25. Discounts are available. Children 15 and under are admitted free. For more information, visithttp://oscaar.ca/news/event-pricing-announced-for-midas-of-orangeville-50-at-kawartha/ .

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.

Clayton Johns (@cjohnsmedia)

OSCAAR Media and Public Relations

Contact: oscaar.media@gmail.com

-30-

Sunday mark’s the second race of the back half of the 2013 OSCAAR Modified tour and the series’ sophomore trip to Kawartha Speedway. This weekend’s feature event will be 30 laps in length, five laps longer than the previous outing.

Series points leader Gary McLean (No.8) won his third feature of the season last weekend at Peterborough Speedway, but, at the time of publication, his entry in to Sunday’s show was unconfirmed. McLean’s wife, Linda, underwent a major surgery this week and the defending champion warned he may have to miss the race to follow her recovery process.

Last season’s rookie-of-the-year Davey Terry (No.14) suffered a DNF as a result of a broken motor last weekend, but returns to the tour today attempting to repeat his second-place finish from one year ago. Terry has said Kawartha has become one of his favourite tracks and the sophomore driver is eyeing the high-banked oval for his first career victory.

Matt Barton (No.2) is expected to return to the tour Sunday after a two-race hiatus. Barton, who is running a partial schedule this season, sat fourth in the championship standings before taking the break. This marks Barton’s first trip to Kawartha in an open-wheel modified and the second-year driver has historically performed well on large ovals, including Delaware Speedway.

Rookie contender Shane Stickel (No.39) earned his first career podium finish last week at Peterborough, a second-place result. As a result, Stickel will start on the front-row for the Autumn Colours Classic in October. Stickel has never looked out of place in his five career starts, so he will look for another top-five finish in his first career trip to Kawartha.

Dave Osborne (No.11) suffered a DNF last week after a mid-race incident involving Dean Scott (No.19). Osborne was running just outside the top-five at the time, which bodes well for the rookie driver. Osborne makes his first trip to Kawartha under OSCAAR sanctioning.

Branden Bullen (No.67jr) had another successful outing last weekend where he earned his second consecutive top-five finish. Bullen finished third at Sunset Speedway two weeks ago and fifth last week. Sunday will also mark Bullen’s first trip to Kawartha in an open-wheel modified, but he will have the expertise of his father and former Super Late Model driver Phil Bullen to guide him. Bullen currently leads the rookie-of-the-year standings.

Klotz Synthetic Lubricants Canada will award special prizes to the 30-lap A-Main winner following the race and will sponsor all qualifying heat races.

Racing gets underway at 4:30pm on Sunday August 11 for the OSCAAR Modifieds, who will be joined by the OSCAAR Super Late Models for their 50-lap main event and Brighton’s Speedways Vanderlaan dirt Pro Late Models for an exhibition show. The pit gate will open at 11:00am for competitors.

A ‘Show & Shine’ will begin at 12:00pm when spectator gates open, with over 100 hot rods expected to be in attendance for the Syracuse Nationals and Right Coast Cars associated event.

—

Direction: For directions to Kawartha Speedway, visit http://www.kawarthadowns.com/19p_directions.htm.

Tickets: General Admission, including pit access, is just $25. Discounts are available. Children 15 and under are admitted free. For more information, visithttp://oscaar.ca/news/event-pricing-announced-for-midas-of-orangeville-50-at-kawartha/ .

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

Contact: oscaar.media@gmail.com

-30-

KNOXVILLE, Iowa. — Aug. 7, 2013— To say that Wednesday night was stressful for David Gravel would be an understatement, but in the end it all paid off as he won the opening night of the 53rd Annual FVP Knoxville Nationals at the famed Knoxville Raceway in Iowa. After losing an engine on the last lap of the first heat race he coasted across the line in third to earn a spot in the 25-lap preliminary feature. Then, at the end of the 25-lapper, he ran out of fuel, but was able to hold on to earn his first-career win at Knoxville. The victory locked Gravel into the 50-lap, $150,000-to-win main event of the FVP Knoxville Nationals on Saturday night for the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series.

“This is just awesome,” said Gravel from Victory Lane. “This is the race we want to win and we’ll be in a good position on Saturday. This is what we do it for. All of the hard and dedication is for this. We have a really nice piece here and hopefully we can continue on in the week.”

Gravel lined up fourth for the 25-lap race aboard the FMR Racing/JRC Transportation/Musco Fuel/Model Craft J&J and used a strong start to move into second behind polesitter Greg Hodnett. The first caution flag of the night flew on just the second lap, and on the ensuing restart, the native of Watertown, Conn., took the lead, but that pass was negated when the yellow flag came back out before that lap was completed. Gravel used another strong restart to stay right with Hodnett and was able to take the lead on the third circuit and would pace the final 22 laps, enduring three more cautions and restarts en route to the victory.

“I love starting on the outside, because you can get going out of (turn) two here,” he shared. “I got a good start and found the bottom. Kevin (Swindell) won the Capitani Classic on Sunday running the top, so once I got out front, I just wanted to run the top.”

Gravel opened the night by timing in 11th-fastest of the 49 drivers that took to the track for the first preliminary night of the FVP Knoxville Nationals. He started sixth in the first 10-lap heat race and used a very strong start to charge up to the second position. He was running second on the last lap when his engine went sour and he crossed the line third to make the 24-car starting field for the 25-lap preliminary feature.

“I was worried, because that was our best motor we blew up and this was our little motor,” he said after the race. “When the track slickened off like this, it was just perfect and it ran awesome. With about four (laps) to go, it started stumbling and I just got by the finish line there. I had no fuel left and was scared to make weight, but we made weight.”

Gravel, who is locked into Saturday’s main event, will return to the track on Friday, Aug. 9, to compete in the SPEED SPORT Knoxville World Challenge.

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

Concord, NC (August 8, 2013) – Seventeen-year old Clint King is back with Venturini Motorsports (VMS) and ready for action under the lights this weekend at Berlin Raceway in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards Primera Plastics 200.

King will be driving the No.55 Speedrack Products/Nashville Wire Toyota with crew chief Jeff McClure on-hand calling the shots.

King stunned fellow competitors in his series debut in 2011, wining the Menards Pole Award presented by Ansell on his 16th birthday at Madison International Speedway and finishing third in in the race. He backed up his performance by claiming back-to-back Pole Awards in his second start at Salem Speedway.

King’s last start in the ARCA series came almost a year-to-the-date where he finished fifth at Madison.

“I’m excited to get back behind the wheel this weekend. It’s been a tough season with limited opportunities but thanks to my sponsors; SPEEDRACK and Nashville Wire I’m able to rejoin the team (VMS) this weekend at Berlin and hopefully pick up where we left off,” says King.

Although relatively silent behind the wheel this season, King is focused on the future and plans to return to racing full time in 2014.

“Sitting out and concentrating on the big picture (sponsorship) has been my main priority this year. So far this year I’ve only raced Denny Hamlin’s Short Track Showdown and a K&N deal at Bowman Gray. Besides that I’ve been sitting at home watching these guys race on TV. It’s been tough but I have to focus on the business side of things and be conservative so I can put together a solid package in 2014 to run a full season.”

King’s consistency behind the wheel should make for an interesting and competitive run this weekend.

In just nine career ARCA starts since 2011, King has notched seven top-10 finishes.

In 2012 King made six starts with VMS in ARCA competition with finishes of fourth at Toledo, fifth at Mobile, fifth at Madison, sixth at Salem, sixth at Berlin and 12th at Winchester.

The 200-lap race at Berlin begins at 8:30 p.m. ET Saturday, with live audio coverage and live timing and scoring featured on ARCAracing.com.

The Primera Plastics 200 will also be the second ARCA Racing Series race that will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network. NBC Sports Network’s ARCA Racing coverage of the Berlin ARCA 200 premieres at 11 p.m. Thursday, August 15.

To learn more about Clint King check out www.ClintKing.com, follow him on twitter @DriverClintKing and “Like” him on Facebook.

About Clint’ King’s Sponsors:
Speedrack Products Group, Ltd. is a company that is…and always has been revolutionary. Revolutionary in thinking and revolutionary in products and services, Speedrack has been at the forefront of the storage products industry for over 55 years and is one of the leading suppliers of pallet racking and storage systems. Speedrack is committed to providing material handling systems/equipment that maximize our customer’s use of space and contribute to effective warehouse logistics solutions — we provide functional designs to ensure safety, productivity and reliability. Speedrack was the first to develop completely tubular pallet rack, and remains one of the few to provide seamless tubing for columns, beams, horizontals, and diagonal bracing. Few rack manufacturers offer this style due to the higher production costs and greater precision requirements compared to open shapes. Tubular designed rack allows us to provide our customers with greater strength per pound of steel and higher resistance to damage than conventional open shape sections. This means increased safety, longer life, and lower maintenance of your rack solution.

Nashville Wire Products is a world-class supplier of wire products. We specialize in the design and fabrication of welded wire products. Since its inception in 1934, Nashville Wire has grown into a diverse organization serving multiple markets and thousands of customers, world-wide. Our primary products include OEM parts, wire mesh, retail displays, store fixtures, and wire products for the material handling industry. Cutting edge technology, quality products, and unparalleled service have earned us a leadership position in all of the markets that we serve.

About Venturini Motorsports
Venturini Motorsports (VMS), fielding cars for over 30-years in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, is one of the premier NASCAR driver development programs in the country. Multiple team championships and consistent on-track success, VMS has evolved into one of the most recognizable names in motorsports. Since 2007, VMS has assisted in the career development of notable NASCAR drivers such as Joey Logano, Justin Allgaier, Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Brian Scott, Kevin Swindell, Miguel Paludo, John Wes Townley, Josh Richards and Johanna Long.

In 2012, VMS and the Venturini family was inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame and now find themselves enshrined with such sports icons as Joe DiMaggio, Mario Andretti, Vince Lombardi, Tommy Lasorda and Rocky Marciano, among others.

After nearly two decades away from NASCAR, 2013 marks VMS’s modern day return to the series with John Wes Townley driving the team’s familiar No.25 in selective NASCAR Nationwide Series events.

Official: www.VenturiniMotorsports.com  |  Twitter: @VenturiniMotor  |  Facebook: Venturini Motorsports

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

1.      Mid-Ohio technical penalty update

2.      Ganassi team closing in on team-record win streak

3.       Manufacturer standings tied up

1. Mid-Ohio technical penalty update: There were no technical penalties issued following the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Aug. 4.

2. Ganassi team closing in on team-record win streak: Charlie Kimball’s first IZOD IndyCar Series victory at the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio was the fifth in a row for Chip Ganassi Racing at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and fourth in a row this season.

The current streak has been accomplished on a 2.5-mile superspeedway (Pocono Raceway), temporary street course (Toronto, doubleheader) and a 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course (Mid-Ohio) by Scott Dixon and Kimball. Next up is Sonoma Raceway, where both Dixon (2007) and Dario Franchitti (2009) have won.

“When you’re consistently running close to the top five you’ll get podiums,” Kimball said. “When you’re (on the podium) every now and again, then you’re going to pick up a win. And we have sort of taken that next step, not just me as a driver, but us as a team. I think we came into the weekend ready to win, and when the situation arose, we took advantage of that.”

The Ganassi team record for consecutive victories is six from May 26 to July 19, 1998, by Jimmy Vasser and Alex Zanardi, who went on to win seven races and the CART championship.

The last team with a four-race winning streak was Team Penske to start the 2012 season (Helio Castroneves at St. Petersburg followed by Will Power at Barber, Long Beach and Sao Paulo).

The Indy car record is seven by Ansted-Thompson Racing in 1964 (A.J. Foyt winning the first seven races during his USAC championship year) and matched in 1994 by Marlboro Team Penske (Emerson Fittipaldi starting it at Phoenix, followed by three consecutive victories by Al Unser Jr., a victory at Belle Isle by Paul Tracy and two more wins by Unser).

At Mid-Ohio, Dixon missed on being the first IZOD IndyCar Series driver to win four in a row. The last to do it was Sebastien Bourdais to start the 2006 Champ Car season. The record is seven in a row by Foyt (Phoenix on March 22 to Springfield on Aug. 22) during that ’64 season in which he won a record 10 races (matched by Al Unser in 1972).

3. Manufacturer standings tied up: With its teams posting a podium sweep at Mid-Ohio, Honda tied Chevrolet in the manufacturer standings (105 points) with five races left. Both manufacturers have seven victories, while Chevrolet has won nine of the 14 pole positions in 2013.

“We are still pushing; and we still want more, and I think we have seen it,” Dario Franchitti of Target Chip Ganassi Racing said. “When we make a step, Chevy makes a step and that’s what this competition is. I think that’s one of the reasons that Honda and Chevy are around in the sport.”

 

Chevrolet won the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma in 2012 with Ryan Briscoe of Team Penske and took six of the top-10 finishing spots.

***

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 at on the streets of Baltimore. The race will be televised by NBC Sports Network at 1 p.m.

Fraserville, ON – Event ticket pricing has been announced by Kawartha Speedway, in association with OSCAAR Racing, for this Sunday’s for this Sunday’s Midas of Orangeville 50 at Kawartha. Admission to the August 11 event which features the OSCAAR Super Late Models, OSCAAR Modifieds, and Brighton Speedway’s Vanderlaan dirt Pro Late Models, will be just $25.

The $25 admission allows spectators access to anywhere on Kawartha grounds, including the competitors pit area.

The Kawartha event, one of only two at the Fraserville, Ont. facility this season, will showcase the OSCAAR Super Late Models for 50 laps, a 30-lap feature for the OSCAAR Modifieds, and a 20-lap exhibition for the Vanderlaan dirt Pro Late Models. Racing starts at 4:30pm.

Fans will be able to obtain a $5 discount in two separate ways. Spectators who attend Saturday night’s event at Peterborough Speedway, with the Lucas Oil Sportsman Cup, will receive a red ticket with their ticket stub for the $5 discount. The red ticket must be brought to Kawartha in order to be eligible for the discount. More information on start times and a full schedule of events for Saturday’s show, visitwww.peterboroughspeedway.com.

Additionally, fans who attend Brighton Speedway’s Saturday night show, featuring the Southern Ontario Sprints and the Vanderlaan Pro Late Models, will also receive a blue $5 discount at Kawartha with their Brighton ticket stub. The blue ticket must be brought to Kawartha in order to receive the discount. For more information on Saturday’s event at Brighton Speedway, visitwww.brightonspeedway.com.

The event will also showcase a ‘Show & Shine’ in association with the Syracuse National Car Show and Right Coast Cars. Over 100 hot rods are expected to be in attendance. Hot rods drivers and one passenger will receive free admission to the event while additional passengers will be admitted at a cost of just $10. The ‘Show & Shine’ gets underway at 12:00pm.

OSCAAR Racing 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)