Category: Other Series PR

Sauble Beach, ON – Brandon Watson entered the lone trip to Sauble Speedway for the OSCAAR Super Late Models looking for his fourth win in five starts with the tour on Saturday night.

The Shear Metal Products/Barrie Frame & Alignment team did not find Knightworks Design Victory Lane, but did secure their fifth consecutive top-five finish to start the season with a fourth-place result.

“Fourth isn’t really what we come for,” said Watson. “We obviously come to win, but we’ll take a top-five. It’s good for us to be consistent.”

The strong finish keeps Watson at the top of the championship standings through five events.

Watson was placed in a strong six-car Klotz qualifying heat, featuring Kevin Cornelius, Andrew Gresel, Glenn Watson, Tyler Hawn, and Shane Gowan.

Watson finished second in his first heat after a strong battle with Cornelius from start to finish in the 10-lap affair.

The 20-year-old driver out of Stayner, Ont. would start near the tail of the second qualifying heat and would finish fifth.

The combination of finishes put Watson in to the bottom-half of the redraw process, which would give him the seventh starting position for the 50-lap A-Main.

The field quickly fell single-file at the drop of the green flag with Polesitter Gresel jumping out to the early lead. Watson moved past Tyler Hawn in the opening laps to take the sixth spot and began the hunt for the top-five.

On lap 18, Watson got inside Lloyd Ritchie in turn one and the two raced side-by-side down the backstretch for the fifth spot. Watson would grab the spot one lap later before the race’s only caution on lap 20.

On the ensuing restart, following Tyler Hawn’s blown motor, Watson was able to hold his fifth spot. On lap 31, Brandon got an excellent run that allowed him to take the fourth spot from Glenn Watson.

The race would run under green flag conditions for the final 30-laps and the field spread out single-file around the track with Brandon sitting fourth. After spending a handful of laps battling with Glenn Watson, Brandon fell back of the top three runners Gresel, Tiemersma, and Cornelius.

Without any further cautions and the gap too big to close, Brandon would have to settle for the fourth spot.

“We needed a caution to catch those guys,” said Watson. “We might have had something for them. Our car got better as the night went on, but the distance was too big (to overcome).”

After a scorching hot afternoon, Watson said the track tightened up for the feature.

“It definitely wasn’t as greasy in the feature as it was this afternoon,” said Watson. “The tires hooked up better in the feature and we had a lot more grip.”

Watson, as always, was grateful for the support of his sponsors, including Shear Metal Products, Barrie Frame & Alignment, Klotz Synthetics, Knightworks Design, and Ken Mackinnon Construction. The 20-year-old also thanked his crew for their dedication on a long, hot day.

The OSCAAR Super Late Model tour shifts to Flamboro Speedway next weekend for the series’ first trip to the Hamilton-area oval in four seasons. Brandon hopes the team will be able to take the notes they accrued at Sauble, to Flamboro.

“I haven’t really raced there too much,” said Watson of Flamboro. “The two tracks are a bit the same, so we might be able to use some of our notes. We’ll go there and do our best to get another win.”

Racing starts at 6:00pm and spectator gates open at 5:00pm.

By Clayton Johns (@cjohnsmedia)

-30-

Sean Cronan would continue the positive momentum after the Don Biederman Memorial to finish eighth at Sauble Speedway on Saturday night.

 

Cronan would start the night off by finishing third and seventh in his heats.

 

Come the feature, he would start in the 10^th position and move himself up to ninth by lap 5, getting around Brent McLean. Cronan would continue to run ninth all the way till the only caution at lap 20 for Tyler Hawn blowing his motor and spinning in turn one. This would allow Cronan to move up to the eighth position.

 

Cronan would spend the second half of the feature running in the eighth position, holding his ground. He would finish eighth to score his second top 10 of the season after finishing eighth two weeks ago at Sunset Speedway.

 

Speaking about the night afterwards, the rookie said that he learned a lot of things that he can carry forward to future races with regards to the set-up of the car.

 

Special thanks to The Lockeroom Sports Bar and Grill, Spira Fire Protection, Women in Stride, Supercuts, Gunk Canada, Plumbtech Plumbing Inc., Speedy Auto Machine, Fox’s Bakery and Deli, Sturdy Power Lines, Bourque Transmission, Paul’s Auto Body, Sophie’s Place Restaurant and Home-Tec Exteriors for their support.

 

The next race for the OSCAAR Super Late Models is at Flamboro Speedway on July 22nd.

 

For your updates about Sean Cronan, make sure to check out his website at and follow Cronan Motorsports on twitter – @cronanmotor.

The tough luck would continue for Tolton Motorsports driver Bobby Tolton as he would suffer ignition problems at Sauble Speedway this past Saturday night.

 

Tolton would start the night off by finishing sixth in both of his heats.

 

As a result, he would start 11^th in the feature. He would battle for position with the modifieds around him till he ran into ignition problems on lap five, causing him to dive into the infield. As a result, he would be credited with a 12^th place finish in the feature.

 

Special thanks to Eloquip, Engines from Hal, Knightwork Designs, Bolt-On Performance, Amsoil, Crazy Bill’s Paintball, Tri-Country Sandblasting, At A Glance Screenprinting, Black Magic Racing and Around the Howse Contracting for their support.

 

Photos from the night can be viewed on Bobby Tolton’s website at http://bit.ly/bobbytolton.

 

The next race for the OSCAAR Modifieds is Flamboro Speedway this weekend.

WATERTOWN, Conn.—July 14, 2013— David Gravel had two main goals in mind when opening the “Month of Money” this past week, with the running of the 25th Ohio Logistics Brad Doty Classic Presented by Racing Optics and the 30th Kings Royal for the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series. First, he wanted to qualify for the A-Feature at each event and second, he was looking to earn a top-10 finish in each of the marquee events. The 21-year-old was able to accomplish both as he came home fifth in the Brad Doty Classic and was ninth in the Kings Royal, earning the KSE Hard Charger Award in the process for passing the most cars during the A-Feature.

The native of Watertown, Conn., lined up 14th for the 40-lap Brad Doty Classic at Limaland Motorsports Park in Ohio, on Thursday, July 11, aboard the FMR Racing/JRC Transportation/Musco Fuel/Model Craft J&J, and had worked his way into the top-10 by just the third circuit. A couple of cautions on that lap moved Gravel to eighth and he took another spot when the green flag came back out.

By the fifth lap, the 21-year-old was up to sixth. He would run in that spot for a large portion of the race, before breaking into the top-five on the 29th go-around. A strong restart following a caution propelled Gravel to third, where he would run for a couple of laps, before slipping back to fifth. He would ultimately finish fifth to earn his sixth top-five finish of the season.

“We had a really good start in the feature at Limaland (Motorsports Park),” Gravel said. “We moved up pretty quick and the top was working pretty well and everyone was running on the bottom. When I got up there I kind of showed everyone my lane and those guys figured it out and stayed where I was. To come from 14th to fifth in an Outlaws race is a great result.”

Gravel was seventh-quickest in time trials at Limaland with 47 cars taking to the track for qualifying. He finished seventh in the second heat race, which put him in the B-main. Gravel would win the B-main to punch his ticket into the Brad Doty Classic.

Starting 19th in the 24-car field for the Kings Royal at Eldora Speedway on Saturday, July 13, Gravel had his work cut out for him. He gained a couple of spots in the first few laps. When the first red flag of the night flew on lap-16, he was in 15th. On the ensuring double-file restart, Gravel picked up two positions and by the 20th circuit, he was in 11th. He would gain two more spots when two cars running ahead of him got together, bringing out the second red flag of the night.

Gravel lined up ninth on the final restart with 10 laps remaining. He followed Kerry Madsen, who won the Knight Before the Kings Royal, for the remainder of the 40-lap contest. For Gravel, the ninth-place finish, was his best-career finish, which came in just his first Kings Royal main event start, after missinng qualifying for the feature the last few years. He also earned the KSE Hard Charger Award for passing the most cars in the feature.

“We tried a few new things for Saturday night and they really worked,” he noted. “We capitalized on some restarts and when I got the wing back, the car was great. It was definitely a confidence builder for when we come back in the fall. That was the first Kings Royal main event I’ve qualified for in my career, so I am proud of that and hopefully will get to race in many more Kings Royal events down the road.”

The Kings Royal at the famed Eldora Speedway began for Gravel with a fifth-place effort in time trials of the 42 entrants that took to the half-mile. He started fourth in the fifth heat race and ran fourth, with the top-three transferring to the main event. By way of the traditional Kings Royal format, the fastest two cars from time trials that were not first, second or third in their heat, earned a spot in the main event, and Gravel was one of those two drivers.

The East Coast racer finished 16th in the 30-lap Knight Before the Kings Royal main event on Friday, July 12. He opened the night by timing in 10th of the 45 entries in attendance. Gravel finished second in the second heat race to earn a spot in the dash, where he came home ninth. He lined up on the outside of the eighth row for the feature, which ran green-to-checkers without a single caution.

With the second half of the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series season officially underway, Gravel is currently seventh in points. He has one victory to go along with 20 top-10 finishes, of which six are top-five performances. He’ll return to action this week at Lernerville (Pa.) Speedway in the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup Twin 30s and the Summer Nationals at Williams Grove (Pa.) Speedway, followed by a trip to New York next week for a pair of races.

“We have a lot of races coming and a lot of tough races,” Gravel said. “The key is to stay on top of things day in and day out. If you have a not so good night, you have to put that behind you pretty quick and focus on the next one. Qualifying will be very, very important this week, especially at Williams Grove (Speedway). We’ll do our best to put ourselves in a good position in that regard.”

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.      Toronto sweep nets Dixon big pay day, points haul

 2.      Briscoe has successful surgery on injured wrist

 3.       Inside the numbers – Honda Indy Toronto 2 in T.O.

1. Toronto sweep nets Dixon big pay day, points haul: Becoming the active Indy car leader with 32 victories is something that Scott Dixon will reflect on after the IZOD IndyCar Series season.

Through the finale Oct. 19 at Auto Club Speedway, he’ll be focused on securing his third series championship.

Dixon, who was seventh in the standings (92 points behind front-runner Helio Castroneves) following the June 23 race at Iowa Speedway, has vaulted into second (29 points arrears of Castroneves) courtesy of victories at Pocono on July 7 and sweeping the July 13-14 Honda Indy Toronto doubleheader.

The run tied Mario Andretti’s streak of three race wins in eight days (July 30 to Aug. 6, 1968, which included Langhorne, Pa., and a doubleheader at St. Jovite, Quebec). Al Unser won four consecutive races in eight days in July 1969 (a doubleheader at Indianapolis Raceway Park and a doubleheader at Langhorne), and the total was five in a row with a win July 13 at Nazareth, Pa.

“It’s nice to put a little pressure on Helio, and hopefully we can keep that going,” said Dixon, whose next opportunity to gain on the three-time Indianapolis 500 winner is Aug. 4 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Dixon has won the past two years at the 2.258-mile road course and four times overall.

“Helio has had a pretty stress-free year as far as not being involved in accidents or having mechanicals,” continued Dixon, who also had a three-race winning streak in 2007 (Watkins Glen, Nashville and Mid-Ohio). “Ryan Hunter-Reay, every time I kept seeing him this weekend, he was in some kind of altercation. He lost a lot of points over the weekend.

“I think it’s still going to be a tough battle. I like the look of the tracks we have coming up. I think we are in the hunt. I think some tracks we’ll be at a slight disadvantage to the Chevys, some we might have an advantage.”

Dixon won Race 1 by 1.7 seconds over Sebastien Bourdais and won under caution to complete the sweep and earn the $100,000 SONAX Perfect Finish Award.

“It’s nice to give the boys a bonus after our rough start to the year,” Dixon said of the prize that will be $50,000 for the Houston doubleheader in early October. “That’s fantastic.”

Dixon’s 32nd Indy car victory overtook Dario Franchitti, Bourdais and Paul Tracy for seventh on the all-time list. He’s won three races since Franchitti won his last in the 2012 Indianapolis 500. Bourdais’ last Indy car victory was Nov. 11, 2007, in Mexico City. Tracy, who is retired from Indy car racing, last won on June 24, 2007, at Cleveland.

Al Unser Jr. is next up with 34 victories (nine on ovals, 25 of road/street courses).

Of Dixon’s total, 17 have been on ovals and 15 on road/street courses. Dixon made his first Indy car start at Monterrey, Mexico, on March 11, 2001, and picked up his maiden victory at Nazareth less than two months later in a PacWest Racing car. He’s been with Target Chip Ganassi Racing since ’03.

“I’m very fortunate to have 31 of those wins with this team, 12 years with this team,” Dixon said. “I think me and Helio are probably the longest active drivers with one team, which I think says a lot for the wins we’ve had and what we’ve achieved together.

“I would have wished some of those were a couple more ‘500s’ and a few more championships. But that’s the way it’s gone. We’ll keep digging, trying to improve on that. It’s cool to be on that list and moving up it.”

2. Briscoe has successful surgery on injured wrist: Panther Racing driver Ryan Briscoe had successful surgery to his broken right wrist today at Indiana Orthopedic Hospital in Indianapolis.

INDYCAR orthopedic consultant Dr. Kevin Scheid performed the surgery, which included the fitting of a small t-plate and screws into the fracture on Briscoe’s distal radius bone. Briscoe will be evaluated in two days and then again on July 30,, at which point he is expected to be fitted for a carbon fiber splint.

“Big thanks to everybody at the Indiana Orthopedic Hospital for the great hospitality and speedy surgery,” Briscoe said. “Everybody at the hospital, and all of the INDYCAR medical staff, have done a great job taking good care of me and I can’t thank them enough. I’m feeling good and can’t wait to get back behind the wheel.”

Briscoe’s availability for the IZOD IndyCar Series race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Aug. 4 will be announced at a later date.

3. Inside the numbers – Honda Indy Toronto 2 in T.O.: Some numbers to note from the Honda Indy Toronto 2 in T.O., the 12th and 13^th races of the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series season.

2 – Consecutive front-row starts for Dario Franchitti.

2.059 – Average running position of Scott Dixon during the 170 laps of racing.

4 – Positions gained by Mike Conway in the final eight laps of race 2 (11^th to 7^th).

6 – Positions gained by Justin Wilson in the final eight laps of race 1 (17^th to 11^th).

8 – Points separating Carlos Munoz and Sage Karam in the Firestone Indy Lights standings.

9 – Consecutive top-10 finishes for Helio Castroneves.

29 – Positions improved by Mike Conway over the two races, the most gained by any driver.

32 – Wins for Scott Dixon in his Indy car career, 7th on the all-time list and the most be any active Indy car driver.

42 – Laps that Mike Conway improved his position over the 170 laps of competition, most of any driver.

63 – Points gained by Scott Dixon over the last three races. Helio Castroneves leads Dixon by 29 points in the IZOD IndyCar Series standings.

92 – Wins as a car owner by Chip Ganassi, which ranks third all-time among Indy car team owners.

151 – Consecutive Indy car starts for Scott Dixon dating to the 2004 race in Michigan. Dixon ranks seventh on the all-time list.

209 – Consecutive Indy car starts for Tony Kanaan dating to the 2001 CART race in Portland. Kanaan is second to Jimmy Vasser’s 211 straight starts.

1,753 – Laps completed by Helio Castroneves. He is the only driver to complete every lap of every race.

***

The next IZOD IndyCar Series race is the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio on Aug. 4 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The race will be televised live at 3 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 Mid-Ohio 100 on Aug. 4 at  Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The race will be televised by NBC Sports Network at 2 p.m.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 15, 2013) – Race schedules get crowded, but Cameron Hayley worked in a homecoming this year.

The 16-year-old out of Calgary, Alta., worked out a deal with DJK Racing, operated by two-time NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 champion D.J. Kennington, in the offseason to race a car out of the Kennington stable in the two series events – Vernon, B.C. and Saskatoon, Sask. – in Western Canada this year.

Hayley’s series debut on July 13 at Vernon’s Motoplex Speedway and Event Park got off to a rough start with an accident in practice, but it got better for February’s winner of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series portion of the inaugural UNOH Battle At The Beach held at Daytona International Speedway. Hayley rebounded to finish seventh in the A&W Cruisin’ The Dub 300 – his first time behind the wheel of a Canadian Tire Series car that differs greatly from what he usually pilots in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series.

As one of 13 NASCAR Next drivers, Hayley is not wasting a moment in his time in Canada. Saskatoon’s Auto Clearing Motor Speedway is his Canadian home track where he claimed the 2011 Dakota Dunes Western Canada Super Late Model championship. Not only will Hayley compete in the Velocity Prairie Thunder 250 presented by Bayer CropScience for the Canadian Tire Series on Wednesday, July 17, but also the track’s super late model event on Tuesday evening.

NASCAR Next is an industry initiative by NASCAR to spotlight young, talented drivers who will help shape the future of NASCAR’s three U.S.-based national series in the years to come.

 

Additionally, he’ll spend time on Tuesday greeting fans and helping raise funds for Saskatoon’s Ronald McDonald House that provides crucial support of families of children suffering from serious illness. The fund raising effort will be based at Saskatoon Custom Garage located at 3122A Millar Ave. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time. Race fans along with those simply looking to help this worthy cause can stop by from noon to 1 p.m. to meet Hayley and purchase a ticket to win a Cabinets by Hayley work station valued at over $4,200. All of the proceeds will go to the local Ronald McDonald House.

 

Hayley will return to his regular Gene Price Motorsports ride in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West on Saturday, July 27 at Colorado National Speedway in Dacono, Colo., just north of Denver in the Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts 150. He currently sits third in the K&N West standings just 11 points in back of leader Derek Thorn and has five top-five finishes in six outings this year.

 

Race: Velocity Prairie Thunder 250 presented by Bayer CropScience

Place: Auto Clearing Motor Speedway, Saskatoon, Sask.

Date: Wednesday, July 17

Time: 8:15 p.m. CT

TV Schedule: TSN, Sun., July 28, 11 a.m. ET; RDS2, Fri., Aug. 16, 11 p.m. ET

Track Layout: .333-mile oval

2012 Winner: D.J. Kennington

2012 Pole Sitter: J.R. Fitzpatrick

Event Schedule: Practice 1-1:30 p.m.; Final Practice 2-2:30 p.m.; Qualifying 5 p.m.; On-Track Autograph Session 6:45 p.m.; Driver Introductions 7:45 p.m.

Track Contact: Herm Hordal, (306) 651-3278, hhordal@sasktel.net

Track Twitter: @ACMS_Racing

Event Twitter Hashtag: #VPT

FAST FACTS

The Race: This is the sixth event of the 2013 season for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 and the fourth of eight oval-track events on the schedule. This is the series’ fourth visit to the track.

 

The Procedure: The starting field is 24 cars, including provisionals. The first 21 cars will qualify through two-lap time trials. The remaining three spots will be awarded through the provisional process. The race will be 250 laps covering 83.25 miles.

 

The Track: Auto Clearing Motor Speedway is a .333-mile oval with graduated banking. Saskatoon Stock Car Racing Association Ltd. originated from the Saskatoon Stock Car Racing Club that was formed in 1954. Racing in Saskatoon began at the 8th Street Racing Oval. In 1970, as a result of city expansion, stock-car racing moved to the current Prairieland Exhibition at Bridge City Raceway. In 1999, the City of Saskatoon expanded once again which paved the way for a new track, Auto Clearing Motor Speedway, to be built. Construction of the new track began in April 2005.

 

The Records: The one-lap qualifying record for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series at the track is 14.665 seconds (81.801 mph), set by J.R. Fitzpatrick on July 25, 2012. The 250-lap race record was established on Aug. 4, 2010 by D.J. Kennington at 1 hour, 17 minutes, 3 seconds for an average speed of 64.909 mph.

SASKATOON NOTES

No Dodging: A Dodge has gone to Victory Lane in all four previous events at Auto Clearing Motor Speedway beginning with Scott Steckly (No. 22 Canadian Tire Dodge) in 2009. D.J. Kennington (No. 17 Castrol Edge/Mahindra Tractors Dodge) won in 2010 and 2012 while Pete Shepherd III (No. 7 National Exhaust Dodge) claimed the prize in 2011.

 

Toon Town Tells Tale: Kennington’s two Saskatoon victories coincided with his two NASCAR Canadian Tire Series championships. However, his other two results aren’t exactly bad – third in 2009 and second in 2011.

 

Crowded House: Louis-Philippe Dumoulin (No. 47 WeatherTech Canada/Bellemare Dodge) returns to the top of the point standings after a fifth-place finish in Vernon on July 13, but there isn’t a lot of breathing room. The top-five drivers – Dumoulin, Kennington, Jason Hathaway (No. 3 Snap-on Tools/Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge), Steckly and Martin Roy (No. 90 Batteries Expert Dodge) – in the standings are separated by a total of just 20 points.

 

Short Swing: The 2013 Western Canadian swing for the Canadian Tire Series wraps up with the Velocity Prairie Thunder 250. Five days is the entirety of the westward trek this season.

 

It’s An Event: Prior to the Canadian Tire Series event at Auto Clearing Motor Speedway, Paradise Road will put on a concert at the track from 5-7:30 p.m. CT

 

LAST TIME OUT: A&W Cruisin’ The Dub 300

Motoplex Mastery: Scott Steckly picked up his third win in the last four outings at Motoplex Speedway in Vernon, B.C., on July 13. In the process, the 12-time Canadian Tire Series race winner ended a 17-race winless drought that extended back to the 2011 season.

Looking Up: The start of the 2013 season has been nightmarish for Ron Beauchamp Jr. (No. 60 Mopar/Exide/Pennzoil Dodge), but the Windsor, Ont., native got on the right track with a sixth-place performance in Vernon – his first series top-10 finish since last September at Antigonish, N.S.

 

Stepping Up: Rookies Ryley Seibert (eighth) and Alex Guenette (10th) both scored top 10s at Motoplex. It’s the first time this season for this year’s top rookies to land inside the top 10 in the same race.

 

Front Runner: The 72 laps led in the A&W Cruisin’ The Dub 300 was a career-best for Jason Hathaway. His previous high in a single race was 68 en route to his first series win in September 2008 at Kawartha Speedway.

NEXT TIME OUT: National 250

The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 returns to Eastern Canada for the National 250 on July 27 at Autodrome St. Eustache (Que.). The series has not visited the .4-mile Quebec oval since the 2010 season. D.J. Kennington picked up the win in that 2010 event and Kerry Micks started from the pole.

Toledo, OH (July 16, 2013) – Caracas, Venezuela’s Milka Duno holds four Masters Degrees – in Organizational Development, Naval Architecture, Aquaculture, and Maritime Business. As it turns out, she also holds an ARCA steering wheel pretty well too.

In 36 career ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards starts, Duno is beginning to make tracks in all the right directions. She most certainly got everyone’s attention in the season-opening Daytona ARCA 200 where she qualified second and the led the first 11 laps before mechanical troubles caused her to fall off the lead lap, ultimately finishing 28th.

Still yet, her statement was loud and clear. With a little more luck, and in the right situation, she’s quite capable of leading the pack. And if she can cross under the checkered flag in first, Duno would make ARCA history (61 years) by becoming the first female driver in ARCA to win in the world’s most versatile stock car tour. While a few female drivers have come close to an ARCA win, none have accomplished the ultimate prize.

“It would be fantastic,” Duno said. “First and foremost, as a driver, I always want to win races – so I’d love to win, especially at a first-class track like Chicagoland. If at the same time I become the first woman to win an ARCA Series race – that would be wonderful and an honor as well.”

Currently, Shawna Robinson (second at Daytona) and Erin Crocker (second at Kentucky and Kansas) hold the distinction of being the highest female race finishers in ARCA history.

Duno is also seventh in points headed to Chicagoland, just 15 points away from Josh Williams. Robinson, in addition to being the highest female race finisher, is the highest finishing female points finisher in series history, finishing sixth in championship standings in 2000.

Duno drives for Venturini Motorsports in the No. 35 Cantv-Milka Way Toyota. Venturini Motorsports, which originated in Chicago in 1981, has been competing in the ARCA Series for more than 30 years, earning two championships with the company patriarch Bill Venturini in 1987 and 1991.

While the Venturini brand has not won an ARCA title since, they have been churning out a consistent stream of ARCA winners over the decades with a wide variety of drivers, including John Wes Townley, who opened the 2013 season with a big win at Daytona in a Venturini-prepared machine. The team’s most recent win was with Brennan Poole at Michigan in mid-June.

“With an opportunity to drive for Venturini Motorsports, I know that I’ve got the very best cars and equipment around me. The cars are fast on all the tracks we compete at. It doesn’t matter where we go, I know I have a chance to compete for top-fives no matter if it’s a superspeedway or a short track.”

One of the most successful female sports car racers in history, Duno opened her racing career in 1998 when invited by a friend to participate in a Porsche driving clinic.

Duno is the first Latin American woman to be classified an “expert,” and has participated in several prestigious races, including the 24 Hours of LeMans, the 24 Hours of Daytona, and the Indianapolis 500. Duno competed in the American LeMans Series championship in the early 2000s before moving to the Rolex Sports Car Series in 2004 where she has earned three victories overall.

Duno’s career-best ARCA finish is eighth at the Salem Speedway short track, one of the most challenging tracks on the ARCA tour. She also finished 10th at New Jersey Motorsports Park (road course), 10th last time out at Winchester Speedway, and 11th at Michigan Int’l Speedway back in June.

Duno is already the first Latin American woman to qualify and race in the Indianapolis 500, leading the way to an IndyCar career which has includes 43 starts and three Indianapolis 500s. She is also the first woman in history to win a major international race in the United States, and has eight professional career race wins at top levels, and several wins at minor levels.

“You need a really fast car and everyone – the team, pit crew and driver needs to be in synergy and very focused. It also helps a lot to have a bit of luck on your side as well. If we can avoid the ‘big one’, and have some luck, and stay out of trouble, I think we can win. I’m with the right team. I have the right people around me. We can do this.”

Her next stop – the 13th running of the Ansell ActivArmr 150 at Chicagoland Speedway Sunday, July 21.

The Ansell ActivArmr 150 will follow the same-day NASCAR Nationwide Series STP 300 on Sunday, July 21 at 5:00 p.m. local central time, live on SPEED. Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell will accompany raceday activities at noon. Practice for the Ansell ActivArmr 150 will take place on Saturday from 4:10 through 6.

ARCAracing.com will also feature live timing and scoring of all ARCA Racing Series on-track activity. Discounted tickets are available at 46 Menards stores in the greater Chicago area. Tickets will be $35 at the gate for the July 21 Ansell ActivArmr 150 and the NASCAR Nationwide STP 300 but can be purchased for just $20 until July 20 – a $15 savings. The child ticket price will be $5. The ticket vouchers can be purchased at the Menards stores and redeemed at the track on race day or before.

-ARCA Racing Series

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

WATERTOWN, Conn.—July 16, 2013— After charging his way through the field in the 30th Kings Royal at Eldora Speedway as well as the Brad Doty Classic last week, David Gravel is more than ready to continue the “Month of Money” this week with the second East Coast Swing of the Season for the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series. In the Kings Royal, Gravel powered from the 19th starting spot to finish ninth, while in the Brad Doty Classic he came from 14th to fifth. He carries that momentum into a five event stretch over the next week in Pennsylvania and New York.

First up for Gravel, who pilots the FMR Racing/JRC Transportation/Musco Fuel/Model Craft J&J, is the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup Twin 30s at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., on Tuesday, July 16. Gravel will then make the trek to Central Pennsylvania and the famed Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa., for the Summer Nationals on Friday, July 19 and Saturday, July 20. He’ll then head to New York for the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series annual appearance at Lebanon Valley Speedway on Sunday, July 21 and followed that up with a visit to Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in Elbridge, on Tuesday, July 23.

The Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup will consist of two 30-lap main events, with each paying $15,000 to the winner. The first feature will run under a regular World of Outlaws format, paying full points. The second feature will be lined up by inverting the lead lap finishers from the first main event. Last year in the Silver Cup, Gravel finished fifth in the first feature, after lining up 12th. He was sixth-fastest in time trials and finished fourth in his heat raced to punch his ticket into the main event. The native of Watertown, Conn., finished 19th in the second 30-lapper.

“Lernerville is one my favorite tracks,” said Gravel. “We typically run well there also, so that’s a good thing. The twin features put on a great show for the fans and give us twice as many laps and getting laps on a track like Lernerville never hurts. We had a strong run in the first feature last year and hopefully we can back that up and be up front in both this year.”

Gravel made his most recent start at Lernerville last fall with the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions, finishing fifth. He opened that night by recording the seventh-quickest lap in qualifying. The 21-year-old finished second with the All Stars at the fourth-tenths-mile in 2011. Gravel was fastest in time trials at Lernerville with the All Stars in 2010. He made his first-career start at the track located just outside of Pittsburgh in 2009.

The Summer National at Williams Grove Speedway will consist of two full racing programs each night. A $20,000-to-win main event will cap the finale on Saturday, July 20. Gravel has made one start at the famed half-mile this season, finishing 17th in May. The second night of that event fell to rain. Gravel made five starts at “The Grove” last year, including earning a spot in the main event of the National Open for the first time in his young career.

“Qualifying is the key at Williams Grove (Speedway),” he shared. “It’s tough to get qualified well there, but it really dictates the rest of your night. The level of competition is so tough at ‘The Grove.’ Usually during the heat races it’s tough to pass, so track position, which comes from qualifying, is that much more important. If you qualify well you put yourself in a position to have a good rest of the night.”

Gravel has raced with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series at Lebanon Valley Speedway twice in his career. In 2010, he finished seventh at the ultra-high-banked and blazing fast half-mile. Gravel started that night by turning the fourth-fastest lap in time trials. He finished third in the first heat race to earn a spot in the dash where he came home sixth. The East Coast racer made his first start with the series at Lebanon Valley in 2008.

“It’s been a few years since I’ve been to Lebanon Valley (Speedway), so I’m looking forward to getting back there,” he noted. “That’s the closest track to home, so we’ll have a lot of family and friends there that don’t get to see us race very often. Lebanon Valley is so fast and that’s definitely a place where getting in the dash and starting up front is important.”

The East Coast racer made two starts last season at the sprawling five-eighths-mile Rolling Wheels Raceway Park, which is one of just two tracks that size on the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series schedule. He finished fifth in the fall during Super DIRT Week, after opening the night as the eighth-quickest driver in time trials, followed by a win in the second heat race to earn a spot in the dash. Last spring at Rolling Wheels, Gravel was running second when a heim on the throttle pedal broke and ended his night. He has made one start on a five-eighths-mile track this season, with that coming at Orange County Fair Speedway, also in New York.

“We’ve run up front at Rolling Wheels (Raceway Park) before, so we know what it takes there,” Gravel said. “Both races there last year we had a good set-up and just had some bad luck in the spring race with the part breaking on the throttle.  That’s a wide open place and it usually gets pretty slick, so we’ll hopefully be ready for it.”

Gravel enters the second East Coast Swing of the season seventh in the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series standings. He has one win in 2013 and 20 top-10 finishes, with six of those being top-five showings.

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

BLOOMINGTON, Ind.—July 16, 2013— With the way the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series scheduled has shaken out this year, there have been a number of weeks where the series has raced three or four times in a seven-day stretch, which is exactly what Kraig Kinser enjoys most. Over the next eight days, he’ll put six more features races under his belt as the series competes in a handful of event during the second East Coast swing of the season.

The second East Coast swing of the season kicks-off for Kinser aboard the Casey’s General Store/Mesilla Valley Transportation/King Racing Products Maxim on Tuesday, July 16 at Lernerville Speedway, Sarver, Pa., with the running of the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup Twin 30s. The series then heads to the famed Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa., Friday, July 19 and Saturday, July 20, for the running of the Summer Nationals. An overnight trip to New York will find the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series making their annual stop at Lebanon Valley Speedway on Sunday, July 21, followed by the first of two visits to Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in 2013, on Tuesday, July 23.

“We had a busy week last week with three straight nights of racing and this week will be even busier,” said Kinser. “All of the tracks this week are high horsepower and it’s supposed to be pretty hot out, so we’ll have to adjust for that and see what the track surfaces do each night. A week like this definitely tests every fiber of man and machine.”

The Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup will again be comprised of twin 30-lap features this year. The first will be run by way of a standard World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series format, with the second main event lined up by an inversion of the lead lap cars from the opener. In his most recent start at Lernerville Speedway during the Commonwealth Clash last fall, Kinser finished ninth. He missed the Silver Cup main event in 2012, after he was caught up in an accident while leading the B-main, which damaged his car too much to have it ready in time for the main event. Kinser finished a career-best fifth at the high-banked, four-tenths-mile in the 2011 Commonwealth Clash. He has made a total of 15 main event starts in his career at Lernerville.

“Lernerville usually has two or three grooves and you can race just about anywhere on the track,” he noted. “The Twin 30s is a unique concept and the fans seem to enjoy it. With points being on the line the first race is obviously your focus, but then just as much money is on the line in the second, so you want to do your best in that one as well.”

Kinser made one start this spring at Williams Grove Speedway, finishing a very solid seventh. The second scheduled night of that event fell to rain and was not made up. The native of Bloomington, Ind., earned a pair of top-10 finishes at Williams Grove Speedway last season, including the best finish of his career at the half-mile during the Summernationals in July, when he came home fourth. He followed that up by finishing seventh on the first night of the National Open in the fall. The third-generation driver has made a total of 29 main event starts at Williams Grove in his career, including preliminary features, dating back to 2003, earning nine top-10 finishes in the process.

“We were pretty good at Williams Grove in the spring, so hopefully we can pick up where we left off there,” Kinser shared. “As always there will be a ton of cars and the pill draw and qualifying will certainly come into play. When you go into there you have to have the car rolling good and also everything under the hood in place. Going to ‘The Grove’ is always a good measuring stick to see where your program is.”

Kinser has made seven starts in his career at Lebanon Valley Speedway. He finished 12th at steeply-banked and blazing fast half-mile last season. Kinser raced at the New York oval for the first time in 2004 and finished a career-best 10th. He matched that result again in 2009.

“Lebanon Valley is a pretty unique track,” he noted. “You carry so much speed and momentum there and it can definitely be a tricky place to pass. Qualifying in the right spot and starting up front in the heat race and getting in the dash is usually the key. Everyone is usually bunched pretty close in qualifying, so you really have to be on your game there.”

Kinser raced at Rolling Wheels for the first time in 2004, finishing 10th, which is one of four-career top-10 finishes he has earned at the sprawling five-eighths-mile in New York, located just outside of Syracuse. Last season, he came home 10th in the spring at the track and was 15th in the fall during Super DIRT Week. Kinser finished a career-best fourth in the fall of 2010, leading several laps of the main event. He has raced once on a five-eighths-mile in 2013, winning at Orange County Fair (N.Y.) Speedway in May.

“We had a good set-up for Orange County (Fair Speedway) and a lot of what worked there should help at Rolling Wheels (Raceway Park),” Kinser said. “You carry a lot of speed around Rolling Wheels, but without a lot of banking, you have to really be calculated in where and when you pass. We’ve always run pretty good there and it’s a place I enjoy racing at.”

Entering the second East Coast swing of the season, Kinser is 10th in points with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series. He has won once and has accumulated 22 top-10 finishes, with seven of those being top-five performances.

Kraig Kinser Racing would like to thank Casey’s General Stores, Mesilla Valley Transportation, King Racing Products, Maxim, Aerodine Composites, Sander Engineering, Integra Shocks, All Star Performance, FK Rod Ends, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bell, KSE Racing Products, ButlerBuilt, Schoenfeld Headers, Donovan Engineering, Fel-Pro, Brodix, Wilwood, Dyer’s, Barnes Systems, Ringer Gloves, Jakes Custom Golf Carts, and Ben Cook Racing Limited for their continued support.

Kraig Kinser By the Numbers: Lernerville Speedway, Williams Grove Speedway, Lebanon Valley Speedway & Rolling Wheels Raceway Park
0.4- Miles around Lernerville Speedway
0.5- Distance around both Williams Grove Speedway and Lebanon Valley Speedway in miles
0.675- Miles around Rolling Wheels Raceway Park
2- Nights of racing at Lernerville this season for the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series
3- Races scheduled on five-eighths-mile tracks this season for the series
4- Career top-10 finishes at Lernerville Speedway; Career top-10s at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park
7- Main event starts in his career at Lebanon Valley Speedway
8- Career starts at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park
10- Current position in points
10.4- Average finish in eight main event starts at Rolling Wheels
14.1- Average finishing position in seven starts at Lebanon Valley
15- Main events starts with the World of Outlaws at Lernerville
15.1- Average finish in 29 main event starts at Williams Grove Speedway
15.5- Average finishing position in 15 career main event starts at Lernerville Speedway
22- Top-10 finishes this season through July 13
29- Career main event starts at Williams Grove, including preliminary features
183- Miles from Lebanon Valley Speedway in West Lebanon, N.Y., where the World of Outlaws compete on July 21 to Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in Elbridge, N.Y.
317- Miles from Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa., where the World of Outlaws race on July 19–20, to Lebanon Valley Speedway in West Lebanon, N.Y.
326- Miles from Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, where the World of Outlaws raced on July 12–13 to Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa.
2003- Year of first start at Williams Grove Speedway
2004- Year of first start at Lernerville Speedway, Lebanon Valley Speedway and Rolling Wheels Raceway Park

Keep up with all the action 
For the latest news on Kraig Kinser, visit http://www.kraigkinser.com, and follow Kraig on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kraigkinser11k and receive live updates from the track each and every race night.

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

1. Toronto technical penalty update

2. IZOD IndyCar Series stars hit big screen in animated feature “Turbo”

3. Charity wins big on Fan Friday

4. Of note

 

1. Toronto technical penalty update: There were no technical penalties issued following the IZOD IndyCar Series doubleheader races on the Streets of Toronto on July 13-14.

 

2. IZOD IndyCar Series stars hit big screen in animated feature “Turbo”: Four-time IZOD IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti wasn’t the inspiration for the character Guy Gagne in Dreamworks Animantion’s feature film “Turbo,” but director David Soren said ‘he could be, there are similarities.”

 

Franchitti was technical consultant on the 3D film about a common garden snail who dreams of competing in the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race against his idol Gagne. When a freak accident and multiple circumstances collide, Theo finds himself at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 

 

Franchitti, Team Penske’s Will Power and Indy car legend Mario Andretti have cameo voices in the movie. Andretti is the voice of a member of the Speedway Safety Patrol. Franchitti and Power are journalists.

 

“Basically, I went to a studio at DreamWorks with a microphone and a script and just acted out,” Power said. “We went through a bunch of different scenarios. One was a bus driver, one was in a driver’s meeting and one was a reporter. I’m thrilled; I made the cut.”

 

Added Andretti: “I welcomed the opportunity obviously to be a part of it to some degree. Just to be part of it in a cameo I think is wonderful. Every time that I’m taken on the inside and shown everything that goes into a production is overwhelming. They were so kind. We went through all the different departments and spoke to so many people. They even had a Team Andretti there. With so many talented people I was wondering what my payroll was. We had fun.

 

“(DreamWorks Animation storyboard artists) made sure they are capturing the essence of what it’s all about. They showed me bits and pieces of the film and when Turbo is doing his lap I knew exactly where he was on the racetrack. They capture all the idiosyncrasies, which is what it’s all about. They studied it in and out to bring that certain reality to it and that’s what these new animations are all about.

 

“It’s wonderful that they’re featuring Indianapolis and our biggest race. It’s known around the world and it plays very well. The reach is tremendous and what it does for the exposure of our sport is golden.”

3. Charity wins big on Fan Friday: More than $57,000 (Canadian) was raised for Make-A-Wish Canada during the Honda Indy Toronto race weekend.

 

The event included Fan Friday in which admission to watch IZOD IndyCar Series practice and qualifications for Race 1, Mazda Road to Indy series (Firestone Indy Lights, Pro Mazda and USF2000) practice and participate in interactive displays was free through the backing of the Ontario Honda Dealers Association. Spectators made donations to the charity.

 

In four years of the fund-raising efforts during the race weekend, more than $308,000 has been generated.

 

Alex Tagliani, driver of the No. 98 Barracuda Racing car and a Make-A-Wish Canada ambassador, spent time with Make-A-Wish families between on-track sessions. He kicked off raising awareness of Fan Friday by throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at Rogers Centre before the Toronto Blue Jays hosted the Detroit Tigers on July 1.

 

“On behalf of everyone at Make-A-Wish Canada, I’d like to express our sincere thanks to Honda Canada, its dealers and, of course, the fans,” said Jennifer Ritter, CEO of Make-A-Wish Canada. “This level of commitment and support is a huge part of how we can continue to grant wishes and bring happiness and strength to the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions.”

 

Days are winding down to donate to the dare between Scott Dixon and Tagliani.

 

Fans can make monetary donations to charities designated by Dixon or Tagliani through July 19 at www.power-of-2.org.

 

The charities will end up winners, but the celebrity who finishes second in the fund-raising will have to cash in with a very public dare: They’ll get into costume (Tagliani a beaver; Dixon a sheep) and ride around the grounds of the Indiana State Fair in August on a tricycle.

 

There is also something in it for those who make contributions: A chance to win a signed Dixon or Tagliani racing helmet and phone/Skype call with them.

 

4. Of note: Simona De Silvestro participated in the Michael Strahan Celebrity Golf Tournament at the Liberty National Golf Club in New Jersey to benefit the Newark Mentoring Movement. Strahan, a former New York Giants defensive end and co-host of “Live with Kelly and Michael,” was joined by the Giants’ David Diehl and Justin Tuck, Brooklyn Nets head coach Jason Kidd and NFL Pro Bowler Bruce Smith among others…Josef Newgarden competed in the Honda Indy Toronto in the No. 67 Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing car without chief engineer Nathan O’Rourke, who returned to Indianapolis early July 13 to be with his wife, Nikki, for the birth of the couple’s second child. “It was tough losing Nathan, he’s kind of like my right arm,” Newgarden said. 

***

The next IZOD IndyCar Series race is the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio on Aug. 4 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The race will be televised live at 3 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 Mid-Ohio 100 on Aug. 4 at  Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The race will be televised by NBC Sports Network at 2 p.m.