Category: Other Series PR

2-Time Champion Scores 17th Career Win In NASCAR Canadian Tire Series

 

MIRABEL, Quebec, Canada (July 7, 2013) – For the second year in a row, Andrew Ranger gave the hometown crowd at Circuit ICAR something to cheer about as the Quebec native roared to the victory Sunday in the Jiffy Lube 100 presented by Snap-On.

The two-time NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 champion from Roxton Pond, Quebec, withstood a late restart to go wire-to-wire for the win – his 17th career series victory and 14th on a road course.

 

Ranger had set a track record on the 2.113-mile airport road course Saturday in winning the pole. He appeared to have his No. 27 La Cite De Mirabel Dodge on cruise control as he held command throughout Sunday’s 30-lap event.

 

Scott Steckly, who started third on the grid, held off teammate L.P. Dumoulin for second at the finish. J.R. Fitzpatrick and Jeff Lapcevich were fourth and fifth.

 

Rounding out the top 10 were D.J. Kennington, Kerry Micks, J.F. Dumoulin, Martin Roy and rookie Alex Guenette.

After four of 12 races, Kennington has a two-point lead on L.P. Dumoulin and three over Lapcevich. Fitzpatrick moved up to fourth, and Jason Hathaway dropped to fifth after late mechanical problems Sunday prevented a top-10 finish.

Prior to Sunday, Ranger had registered the most recent wire-to-wire win in the series in 2011.

The Jiffy Lube 100 presented by Snap-on is slated to be televised on TSN on Friday, July 26, at 11 a.m. ET; on RDS2 on Friday, July 26, at 11 p.m. ET; and on RDS on Saturday, July 27, at 10 a.m.

 

It marks the first of three Quebec appearances this season for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1.

Next on tap is the A&W 300 at Motoplex Speedway and Event Park in Vernon, British Columbia on July 13.

LONG POND, Pa. (Sunday, July 7, 2013) – Scott Dixon proved that it isn’t where you start an IZOD IndyCar Series race. It’s where you finish.

Dixon led a first-ever Chip Ganassi Racing podium sweep to win INDYCAR’s return to Pocono Raceway after a 24-year absence.

Dixon earned his first victory since Mid-Ohio last August, while Charlie Kimball tied his career high of second and four-time series champion Dario Franchitti finished third.

It was the 100th win in all forms of motorsports for Chip Ganassi Racing and the 200th in Indy car competition for engine manufacturer Honda.

Dixon, who earned his 30th Indy car victory (his first was at Nazareth, Pa.), is the eighth different winner in 11 IZOD IndyCar Series races this season. He crossed the finish line .4572 of a second ahead of Kimball in a race slowed by only two cautions for 12 laps. The average speed of 192.864 mph bested Danny Sullivan’s Indy car record 170.720 mph in the 1989 race on the 2.5-mile tri-oval.

The last 1-2-3 team finish was by Team Penske (Will Power, Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe) at Sonoma Raceway in August 2011.

Will Power placed fourth and Josef Newgarden matched his best finish of fifth at Sao Paulo in May.

Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan’s prospects of claiming the $1 million Fuzzy’s Triple Crown bonus vanished on Lap 107 when he moved to overtake Dixon’s No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing car for the lead on the inside entering Turn 1. The right-front wing sustained damage when it clipped the rear of the No. 9 car, and Kanaan pitted three laps later.

Still, Kanaan remains eligible for the $250,000 prize — along with Dixon — if either wins the MAV TV 500 on Oct. 19 at Auto Club Speedway.

Castroneves, who finished eighth, stretched his championship points lead to 23 over Ryan Hunter-Reay heading to the Honda Indy Toronto doubleheader July 13-14, which pays full points in both races. Pole sitter Marco Andretti, who finished 10th after dominating the early portion of the race, remains third and Dixon, a two-time series champion, jumped three positions to fourth with eight races remaining.

NEW CASTLE, Ind.— July 7, 2013— Over the last two weeks, Tracy Hines has competed on both dirt and asphalt as well as in each of the three divisions that comprise the USAC national schedule. One common theme has been top-10 finishes in each and every one of those races. With a trio of top-10 performances on three consecutive days over the Fourth of July weekend, the veteran driver has now recorded seven straight top-10 finishes across the three USAC national series. Hines has placed among the top-10 in 12 of his last 14 starts over the last month of racing.

The native of New Castle, Ind., wrapped up the three-race stretch with a fourth-place showing in the inaugural Belleville Bash at the fifth-mile Belle-Claire (Ill.) Speedway, which was tri-sanctioned by the Honda USAC National Midget Series, POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series and Badger Midget Auto Racing Association on Saturday, July 6. Hines lined up ninth for the 30-lap event in the Parker Machinery/Powered by Toyota Spike and steadily worked his way forward.

The veteran driver was all the way up to third and battling eventual winner Bryan Clauson for second in the late going. Hines was running third on the final lap, with Brad Kuhn edging him out at the line for the final spot on the podium. Hines opened the night by winning the first 10-lap heat race, which put him in the first of four qualifying races. In the qualifying race, he ran third, which solidly put him in the main event.

“We worked our way forward in the feature and just ran out of laps,” Hines said. “It’s tough to lose a podium spot on the last lap like that, but with the field of cars they had, to come home fourth was a decent finish. Belle-Claire (Speedway) is such a unique track and we really had to do things a lot different than we are normally used to on the bigger tracks. All in all, for the first time they held the event it seemed to go pretty well.”

In the opener at Belle-Claire on Friday, July 5, Hines finished seventh. A season-high field of 52 cars was assembled at the bullring for the full night of racing, which was capped by a 30-lap main event. Hines turned the eighth-quickest lap in time trials and followed that up with a fourth-place finish in the fourth heat race to punch his ticket into the main event. He started from the inside of the second row for the feature and ran in the top-five for the majority of the race before finishing seventh.

“Starting in the first couple of rows, you never want to slip back, and unfortunately that’s what we did,” he shared. “We definitely learned a few things in that race, which ended up helping us on Saturday. Time trials were very important with the huge field of cars and we timed in a good spot, which set us up for the rest of the night.”

Hines spent Independence Day, July 4, at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville, Ind., competing with the USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series. He finished eighth in the 30-lapper at the high-banked, 5/16th-mile bullring. Hines timed in fourth-fastest of the 41 drivers in attendance. He came home fourth in the first heat race to earn a spot in the main event, where he took to the grid on the outside of the front row.

“With Sprint Week coming up, we certainly wanted to have a good run at Putnamville (Lincoln Park Speedway),” he noted. “We’ll be back there next week and feel like we now have a pretty good baseline in the sprint car. Just like it is about every night anymore, time trials will be a key during Sprint Week when we go back to Lincoln Park (Speedway) and there will be another strong field on-hand.”

Following the two nights of racing at Belle-Claire Speedway, Hines is sixth in points with the Honda USAC National Midget Dirt Championship, just 16 markers out of the top-five. The next race for the series is July 30 at Solomon Valley Raceway in Kansas. With the USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series, the 2002 series champion is seventh in the standings. He returns to action this week with the running of Indiana Sprint Week, which opens on July 12 at Gas City I-69 Speedway.

“We have a few more days to get ready for Sprint Week, so we’ll be busy in the shop, that’s for sure,” Hines said. “When you race seven times in nine days you have to be on your game and make sure you have all the little things ready and are really paying attention to detail. This is the stretch of races when preparation in the shop really shows and we’ve been working night and day to make sure we are ready.”

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

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

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

1.       Munoz leads Open Test at Pocono

2.       Mears provides ace in the hole for Team Penske

3.       Dixon, Tagliani to raise money for charity through Power of 2 bet

1. Munoz leads Open Test at Pocono: Carlos Munoz took to Pocono Raceway as he does nearly every other track in Firestone Indy Lights — quickly.

The Colombian, driving the No. 26 Dialy-Ser car for Andretti Autosport, was the fastest in the Open Test (187.688 mph; 47.9518 seconds) on the 2.5-mile tri-oval in which eight drivers logged 795 laps in preparation for the July 6 Pocono 100.

Points leader Sage Karam led much of the afternoon session and was second fastest at 187.548 mph, while his Schmidt Peterson Motorsports with Curb-Agajanian teammate Gabby Chaves (186.187 mph) was third fast. Zach Veach, who recorded a field-high 140 laps, was fourth (186.150 mph) in the No. 12 K12 Andretti Autosport car.

“It was a good test day,” said Munoz, who has four Sunoco Pole Awards and two victories this season. “In the morning we focused on the car since it was my first time here and used the first couple of laps to adapt. It’s quite tricky and Turn 1 is the hardest corner. The car is different in each corner so you have to adapt the car for each corner.

“In the afternoon, we focused on the race setup and trying to run in traffic. We improved the car a lot. Tomorrow is a long day and it will be a tough race. Hopefully we can stay up front.”

Karam, who hails from nearby Nazareth, Pa., has won the last two races — both on short ovals. He leads Munoz by nine points in the standings as the series enters the second half of the 12-race season.

“I want to represent Pocono and Pennsylvania and I want to win,” Karam said. “I don’t want to lose in front of my home crowd, so I’m going to give it everything I can to beat these guys.”

2. Mears provides ace in the hole for Team Penske: Penske Racing’s Mark Donohue won the first Indy car race at Pocono Raceway (1971) and Danny Sullivan the last (1989). In between, three other drivers totaled five victories on the 2.5-mile tri-oval for the team.

Rick Mears won in 1982, ’85 and ’87. He added two runner-up finishes and a third place, and started from the pole four times.

“He was the master of this place,” said Team Penske’s Helio Castroneves, who enters the Pocono INDYCAR 400 Fueled by Sunoco on July 7 with the championship points lead through 10 of 19 races.

Castroneves has Mears, in his 21st year as a Team Penske consultant, in his corner. More accurately, on the roof of the Pocono Raceway grandstand as his spotter.

“We need to make sure we keep the lead in the championship coming out of this weekend and we’re happy we have a guy like Rick Mears, who’s had so much success at Pocono in the past,” Castroneves added. “With the long straightaway and the unique three corners at Pocono, it’s going to be an awesome race for the fans to watch on Sunday.”

The design brings into play three different radius turns, three different lengths of straightaway and three different degrees of banking. The first turn has a radius of 675 feet and 14 degrees of banking. The back straightaway is 3,055 feet. The second turn has a radius of 750 feet and 8 degrees of banking. The short straightaway is 1,780 feet. The third turn has a radius of 800 feet and 6 degrees of banking. The main straightaway is 3,740 feet.

“It was like having three tracks in one,” Mears said. “That was part of the fun. It’s great to get back.”

Tom Sneva (1977) and Bobby Unser (1980) also won for Penske Racing at Pocono.

3. Dixon, Tagliani to raise money for charity through Power of 2 bet: IZOD IndyCar Series drivers Alex Tagliani and Scott Dixon will battle online during July to see who can raise the most money for charities through the Power of 2, an initiative focused on unlocking celebrity reach for social good.

Fans can donate to either Tagliani or Dixon at www.power-of-2.org as many times as they like until 8 p.m.  (ET) July 18 to decide the winner. The second-place finisher of the IZOD IndyCar Series Power of 2 will don a costume and ride around the grounds of the Indiana State Fair on a tricycle.

Should Tagliani lose, he’ll be making that journey in a Beaver costume, representative of his native Canada. Dixon would don a Sheep costume, an animal that roams the hills of New Zealand. Needless to say, neither driver wants to finish second in this race.

In the end, the winners will be the charities. Dixon supports Young People Living With Cancer in New Zealand, through CanTeen (www.canteen.org.nz) and in the United States in partnership with Teens Living With Cancer (www.teenslivingwithcancer.org). Tagliani is raising funds for Anaphylaxis Canada (www.anaphylaxis.ca), which is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to helping those at risk for anaphylaxis and those who care for them.

“As someone with a severe food allergy to peanuts and tree nuts, I can tell you that an anaphylactic reaction is far more frightening than driving a race car,” Tagliani said.  “Helping kids better manage their allergies and live safely is something I am very passionate about. I also can’t wait to see Scott get on the kid’s bike in his sheep costume.”

Said Dixon: “I’ve been a strong supporter and spokesperson for both CanTeen and Teens Living with Cancer because I feel this age group often gets overlooked.  Oftentimes people immediately think of either helping children or adults, but teenagers are going through a lot to begin with at this stage in their lives. It’s one of the most difficult stages of your life – even without the added difficulties of fighting cancer.”

***

The next IZOD IndyCar Series race is the Pocono INDYCAR 400 Fueled by Sunoco on July 7 at Pocono Raceway. The race will be televised live at noon (ET) by ABC 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 Pocono 100 at 4 p.m. on July 6 at Pocono Raceway. NBC Sports Network’s coverage of the race will be telecast at 4:30 p.m. (ET) on July 12.

LONG POND, Pa. (July 4, 2013) – On Independence Day, IZOD IndyCar Series drivers and teams provided plenty of fireworks at Pocono Raceway with a glimpse of what’s in store for the Pocono INDYCAR 400 Fueled by Sunoco on July 7.

All 24 cars that participated in the one-day Open Test posted lap times better than the track record of 42.510 seconds (211.715 mph) set by Emerson Fittipaldi on Aug. 19, 1989. Marco Andretti of nearby Nazareth, Pa., topped the speed chart with a lap of 220.963 mph (40.7308 seconds) in the No. 25 RC Cola car for Andretti Autosport.

 

“I think this just became my favorite racetrack,” said Andretti, who recorded his best lap on a qualifying simulation. “I have to give credit to INDYCAR. They did a great job with the aero (package) and also Firestone with the tire choice. I think it will produce good racing because it’s going to put guys on the opposite ends of the downforce level, which is the risk you run.”

 

Tony Kanaan, who can continue on the path to a $1 million bonus by winning the second of the three legs of the Fuzzy’s Triple Crown, was second (219.802 mph; 40.9460 seconds) in the No. 11 Sunoco “Turbo” car for KV Racing Technology-SH Racing.

 

IZOD IndyCar Series championship points leader Helio Castroneves (219.123 mph) was third in the No. 3 Hitachi Team Penske car, and Ed Carpenter was fourth (218.788 mph) in the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka car. Reigning IZOD IndyCar Series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay of Andretti Autosport was fifth (218.293 mph) in the No. 1 DHL car.

 

Top to bottom, the field was separated by 1.1 seconds.

 

OPEN TEST NOTES:

 

Rahal seeking second victory for family at Pocono

 

Graham Rahal was seven months old when his father, Bobby, won the Quaker State 500 at Pocono Raceway on Aug. 21, 1988, providing Truesports its final Indy car victory.

 

This weekend, the second-generation IndyCar driver seeks to claim the family’s second victory at Pocono in the No. 15 Midas/Big O Tires car for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

 

Bob Rahal made eight starts on the 2.5-mile tri-oval from 1982-89 – the final Indy car race at Pocono until this weekend. His best start was second in 1984 and he qualified in the first two rows in six of his eight events.

 

It also was the lone Indy car win for a car powered by the Judd engine.

 

“(In ’88) to be honest, we weren’t the fastest although we qualified well (third),” said Rahal, who earned a total of six top-five finishes. “The Chevys were much more powerful than the Judd was at the time, but it was a battle of attrition and in the end Al (Unser) Sr. and I had a fight. In the end we were the last ones standing so to speak. What made that race even more special was that earlier in the week we had broken ground on my first automobile dealership in Mechanicsburg, Pa., that started the Automotive Group we’ve got going today.”

 

Mann gets first laps at Pocono

 

Pippa Mann returns to the IZOD IndyCar Series behind the wheel of the No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda in the Pocono IndyCar 400 Fueled by Sunoco. Mann previously raced for the team at Indianapolis and Texas.

 

“The deal happening this weekend to put me back in a car really does come down to Dale Coyne,” Mann said. “Since the schedule was first announced, I’d wanted to run here if possible, especially with the Open Test which would hopefully give me the opportunity to learn the track.

 

“The goal was to find a way for me to get in the car, and Dale worked tirelessly with us to make this race weekend happen. I’m incredibly grateful to him for the opportunity to get back in the No. 18 car, and I’m looking forward to carrying the Cyclops Gear colors again.”

 

Zoeller to serve as Grand Marshal

 

Golfing great Fuzzy Zoeller will serve as the grand marshal for the Pocono INDYCAR 400 Fueled by Sunoco at Pocono Raceway on July 7.

 

Zoeller, a 10-time winner on the PGA Tour, became the third golfer in history to win the Masters in his first attempt in 1979. He also won the 1984 U.S. Open. While competing on the Championship Tour, he created his own-branded vodka company in 2009. Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka currently sponsors the No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet and the Triple Crown award in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Additionally, Fuzzy’s was announced as “Official Vodka of Pocono Raceway” this year.

 

Additionally, Christian Porter, a Pennsylvania native who recently appeared on “The Voice” as part of Blake Shelton’s team will sing the National Anthem prior to the 400-mile IZOD IndyCar Series race.

 

OPEN TEST QUOTES:

 

MARCO ANDRETTI (No. 25 RC Cola Chevrolet): “I think this just became my favorite race track. It’s so much fun.  I mean, it’s so different every lap and that’s the fun about it.  You don’t know what to expect.  You have to really be on the tools end-to-end and chase the car.  I think it’s going to produce a heck of a race. I was able to make some passes.  I’m really pleased with the car and I can keep my foot in it and put up a big time so that helps as well.  (About running as a team during the afternoon): “We run in a line because that simulates a race and that’s what we’re going to do on Sunday. We do have that luxury because we have a lot of cars. We don’t do it to intimidate. We do it to learn. My teammates are going to be strong Sunday. I know that.” (Will this race be similar to Indy): “I’ve made passes going into every corner today. It’s going to be a heck of a race for the fans. It’s going to be an awesome show. Again, credit to INDYCAR with the aero choice and Firestone with the tire choice. I think it’s going to produce an awesome race, so I think there’s going to be a lot of passing.” (Who were you passing?): “The car’s been good today. We could roll of Saturday and it could be a totally different ballgame, but today, I was able to pass whoever was in front of me.”

 

TONY KANAAN (No. 11 Sunoco “Turbo” KVRT-SH Racing Chevrolet):  “We did test here last week so we came back with a solid setup already.  We worked on race (set up) a lot.  I’m happy with the car so we’ll see.   We have a day off tomorrow which is very unusual for a race weekend for us.  I’m happy.   It’s going to be a close race.   I think everybody is running pretty close together so we’ll see.  (On what he learned at last week’s test):  Of course, we tried a bunch of things last week.  We used last week’s test for the things I call the big things.  Things that will take a long time to change.  I can’t get into much detail but they’re changes in the car that will take a couple hours sometimes for you to figure out. And we had a list of three of those that I went through during that day and then we went back to the shop to evaluate those and chose the best that we thought when we came back.  It was definitely helpful.  The biggest thing I would say for me is it took me, you know it’s funny I have been in America for so long now and racing in INDYCAR for 14 years, you figured you have learned every single track and you’ve been to every single track.  And all of the sudden we came to a track that I hadn’t raced yet.  It took me a little while to learn the track. They don’t call it the tricky tri-oval for nothing.  I got here, I drove my rental car around and said ‘Eh, it’s not that bad.’ And then I got in my Indy car and I’m like ‘OK.’  So it took me a few laps to get the confidence and to learn a lit bit about this track.”

 

HELIO CASTRONEVES (No. 3 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet): “The Hitachi Team Penske boys did a hell of a job today. We got a lot accomplished over the full day of testing and, I have to say, the car is fast and really smooth. It feels good. It’s great to be back here racing at Pocono and it was awesome to see some fans out here today just watching testing. Hopefully we’ll have a good crowd for the race. I think we will be in good shape for qualifying on Saturday. The Hitachi car is ready to go.”

 

ED CARPENTER (No. 20 Fuzzy’s Vodka/Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet): “We were pretty decent this morning, but we tried some things after lunch that didn’t work as well. So we went back to other settings and the car was better. I wasn’t too happy with changes but the ECR/Fuzzy’s team did a good job to get us back in line.  We ended up finishing strong.  I would have liked to have gotten in a little traffic driving today. Many guys were getting in group running and we had to get the car back the way I liked it.  I do think we learned a lot today.  I think we can be in the mix but there are some very fast cars out there.  Like all season long, the competition is tough.  Pocono is definitely like Indianapolis in that the conditions really change a lot.  Sometimes the heat or wind can affect the car.  You don’t have to change much to give you a different feel.  We are trying to figure out how the place changes.  We are trying to adapt to the changes quicker too.  And those things come with the new track for us and the new racing surface.”

 

WILL POWER (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet): “Overall, I thought it was good day of testing. We focused on improving the Verizon Chevy and at the end of the day we felt good about what we got accomplished. I’m really looking for a good result this weekend. We’ve run well on the ovals this year and it would be great to come out of Pocono with a solid finish and some good points before we shift back to the road and street circuits. It was a good job overall by the Verizon team today and now we’ll turn our attention to Saturday and get ready for practice and qualifying.”

 

 

RYAN BRISCOE (No. 4 National Guard Panther Racing Chevrolet): “The Panther crew has done a good job and we’ve had a productive couple days here in the National Guard Chevy. The car is feeling really good and very consistent as we go through a run. It’s solid all the way around the track and seems to get better as the fuel load burns off. Obviously you never want to start last, but I’m thankful Panther gave me the opportunity to run here this weekend and the car is good enough that we’ll be OK. I think the Fourth of July livery looks really sharp too, and it’s an honor to represent the National Guard on such an important holiday weekend.”

 

***

 

The next IZOD IndyCar Series race is the Pocono INDYCAR 400 Fueled by Sunoco on July 7 at Pocono Raceway. The race will be televised live at noon (ET) by ABC 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 Pocono 100 at 4 p.m. on July 6 at Pocono Raceway. NBC Sports Network’s coverage of the race will be telecast at 7 p.m. (ET) on July 12.

 

TORONTO, ON, July 4, 2013 – Six festivals will accompany two INDYCAR races at this year’s Honda Indy Toronto, appealing to everyone’s appetite for an action-packed weekend with loads of on-and off-track entertainment. The festival of festivals, which takes place July 12 to 14, includes a Craft Beerfest, Motorfest, Adrenalinefest, Tastefest, Celebrationfest and Indyfest.

Making its debut on Canadian soil is Robby Gordon’s new Stadium Super Trucks concept, which joins the Motorfest portion of the event. Motorsports enthusiasts will enjoy the heart-pounding jumps and tricks done by high-powered off-road trucks.

 

Also new to the Honda Indy Toronto is the Rusty Wallace Karting Experience that, along with Frank’s RedHot BMX Stunt Show, is part of the Adrenalinefest activities. These rides focus on speed and precision for an unforgettable experience full of high-energy and adrenaline. Rides are available for purchase from gate open to close each day of the event weekend.

 

“If you haven’t been to the event in years, or have never been, this is the year to join us,” said Charlie Johnstone, President of Honda Indy Toronto. “There is something for everyone, both on and off the track. At the Honda Indy Toronto, the races and the entertainment go hand-in-hand to provide our guests with one of the most memorable and energy-packed sporting experiences in Canada.”

 

Get a taste of free food samples, food trucks and the official Honda Indy Toronto food item, Frank’s RedHot Kickin’ BBQ wings at Tastefest. Featured gourmet food trucks and vendors include Smoke’s Poutinerie, Beaver Tails and traditional favourites like Pizza Pizza.

 

Craft Beerfest will celebrate local breweries Muskoka and Amsterdam who, for a second year, have announced a special collaborative beer to be served exclusively at the event. Brew masters take to the Craft Brew House to offer adult patrons an authentic craft beer experience with beer and food sampling.

 

In addition to food, beer and high-energy activities, fans can get closer to celebrity athletes with Celebrationfest, featuring drivers from each of the racing series at autograph sessions and podium ceremonies following each race in Victory Circle.

 

Fans will have the opportunity to check out the spectacle and excitement of the Honda Indy Toronto for free on Friday, July 12 at Fan Friday. For a fourth consecutive year, the Ontario Honda Dealer Association will cover the cost of admission in exchange for a donation to Make-A-Wish Canada. Tickets for Saturday and Sunday are still available at hondaindy.com/tickets.

                                                                                                               

About Honda Indy Toronto

The Honda Indy Toronto, Ontario’s largest annual sporting event, takes place July 12-14 on the streets surrounding Exhibition Place near Lake Ontario and downtown Toronto. For the first time in event history, the 2013 Honda Indy Toronto will feature two INDYCAR races in one weekend, on Saturday and Sunday, for full points and prize money on both days. In addition to world-class racing, the event is a festival of festivals featuring craft beer, food trucks, BMX stunt shows, interactive games and activities, live entertainment, charity events and celebrity appearances. For more information, visit HondaIndy.com.

– 30 –

Whitby, ON – Mike Beyore (No. 54 Stemac/Millenium Crane/CNC Machining/Metals Plus/MGS Performance/Praxair/Don’s Auto Shop/Crossby Dewar/Mayhew Graphics Cadillac) made his first start with the OSCAAR Super Late Model tour Saturday at Sunset Speedway as part of the 2013 Don Biederman Memorial.

Despite a fast race car, one that qualified 10th with a lap of 13.744 seconds around the 1/3-mile oval, Beyore fell victim to a mid-race incident that gave him his first DNF of the young season. A lap 36 wreck in turn two ended Beyore’s night.

Beyore started 13th after winning the first of two B-Main races earlier in the night and was running mid-pack at the time of the crash.

“I was trying to be patient. Wrong place, wrong time,” said Beyore.

“I was inside of Passer. We were really close him and I. I was trying to get by him and (Tyler Hawn),” he explained. “It looks like coming off of (turn) two he broke loose a bit and got in to the front of me. When he hit the front, I just went right around.”

“As soon as I hit the grass, the car took off,” said Beyore. “I was on the brakes, but it went anyhow.”

From the grandstand, the incident looked harmless, and contact with the inside retaining wall was not apparent. However, the Whitby, Ont. driver’s car went off on the hook. Once the team had the car back in the pit area, it was clear the damage was not repairable for Sunday night’s event.

“Everything from the radiator up needs to be replaced,” he explained. “We took the rad out. Everything else, all of the bumpers, the front end, it all needs to be replaced.”

Beyore said he didn’t think the car needed a new front clip, but it will require a more thorough examination to make an accurate determination.

“We’ve got a bit of work to do,” he said. “We’re going to try and have it ready for Sauble.”

Beyore’s attendance at Sauble is dependent on the extent of the damage.

Despite putting four new tires on to start the 50-lap feature event, Beyore did not gain the speed he had hoped.

“At the start of the feature, the tires didn’t come up (to temperature) the way they were supposed to. I was fighting a tight car right off the bat,” he explained.

“That’s why I pitted and got my brother Max to let some more air out of the left rear to try and loosen it up a bit.”

“I was just kind of cruising waiting for those two guys. They were running side by side but neither one could get by the other.”

Beyore may have been able to simplify the night by qualifying directly to the A-Main if he had finished in the top three of his heat race. However, a slow start to the 15-lap heat hurt his chances.

“I was a bit tight at the start and John Owen got by me. I was trying to get by him lots,” said Beyore. “He was in the right place and I couldn’t get by unless I moved him and I wasn’t going to do that.”

“He wouldn’t do it to me, so why would I do it to him?”

The time trial, and single heat format along with features on back-to-back nights was the first ever attempt at a new look for OSCAAR. Despite not being able to compete on night two, Beyore said he likes the schedule.

“For a first time doing that (format), it went off without a hitch,” he explained, praising the track staff for their organization. “I think people liked it. Not every week, but every once in a while would be alright.”

“I like the way they did it with one heat. There’s a lot less chance to tear your car up before the feature.”

Beyore did leave the weekend with a positive feeling knowing his car, powered with a new McGunnegil Engine Performance motor, competed with the best the series has to offer.

“Other than being caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, everything was going to be fine. We hadn’t even put a mark on the car.”

“I think were good and strong, as you could see in the time trials. I was off a bit (in time trials) and we were still a decent car,” said Beyore of his 10th place qualifying run. “We’ll be competitive.”

Beyore would like to thank all of his sponsors for making the weekend possible, including Stemac, Millenium Crane, CNC Machining, Metals Plus, MGS Performance, Praxair, Don’s Auto Shop, Crossby Dewar, and Mayhew Graphics Cadillac

The OSCAAR Super Late Model tour returns to action in two weeks time on July 13 at Sauble Speedway in Hepworth, Ont. For a full schedule of events, stay tuned to www.oscaar.ca.

By Clayton Johns (@cjohnsmedia)

 

Watch Brandon Watson’s Post-Race Interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppLNa2BNBPY

 

Stayner, ON – Brandon Watson (No.9 Shear Metal Products/Barrie Frame and Alignment/Ken Mackinnon Construction/Klotz Synthetics/Knightworks Design Camaro) has had a dream start to his OSCAAR Super Late Model season. The 20-year-old from Stayner, Ont. earned his third win in four starts with the OSCAAR tour on Sunday at Sunset Speedway on night two of the 2013 Don Biederman Memorial.

Watson finished third in the 50-lap feature on Saturday night after starting fourth and was determined to improve on the mark for Sunday night’s main event.

Hanging in the balance was a chance at a second career Biederman Memorial trophy. For the first time in the series’ history, OSCAAR would take an average from the two nights to determine the Biederman winner.

Starting from the third spot in the 22 car field after winning his heat earlier in the night, Watson wasted little time making his presence known at the front.

Watson ran nose-to-tail with race leader Dwayne Baker (No.48) and second-place runner Kevin Cornelius (No.17) for the first 29 laps of the event until the race saw its first caution.

On the ensuing restart, Baker appeared to spin the tires, allowing both Cornelius and Watson to gain positions.

Cornelius held the top spot for another 11 laps, until Watson got the better of the rookie contender on a lap 40 restart. With Cornelius in the preferred outside line for the 10-lap dash to the finish, Watson got the better run off of turn two, while Cornelius scraped the outside wall.

 

From that point on, Watson never looked back en route to his third win of the campaign.

“We definitely had to make a few changes from last night. We weren’t quite as good (Saturday) as we were (Sunday),” explained Brandon. “The crew did a great job getting the car changed up and we got the win.”

Although he did start inside the second row, Watson said the victory was more satisfying having to work for the lead.

“It was tough getting to the front. A few restarts came in to play at the end and really helped us out,” he said. “We were able to get out front and hold the lead for the last 10 or so laps.”

 

Watson didn’t get a complete free pass at the end of the night as a pair of late race cautions reeled him back beside Cornelius. On both restarts, Watson chose the outside line.

“The outside lane had been working for me better all weekend. We couldn’t get any grip on the bottom,” explained Watson. “It was a pretty easy decision to take the outside lane with the grip we found there and obviously it worked out for us.”

 

Despite having the same average finish as both Baker and Cornelius over the two nights, Baker held the tie-break by virtue of winning Saturday’s event.

“We’re obviously happy to get the win. It’s unfortunate we didn’t get the Biederman (trophy). We’ll just have to try again next year. It’s a bit of a tough pill to swallow,” said Watson of losing in the tie-break.

“We did get a win and a third-place finish, so we can’t be too disappointed.”

Watson, however, quickly turned his attention to the series next stop at Sauble Speedway on July 13. The team had a good run at ‘the Beach’ last season, but fell short of a victory. Watson also has experience at Sauble in his Pro Late Model car as part of the Speedway’s annual ‘Beat the Heat 150’.
“We got in a bit of trouble there early (last year) and had to pit. We made our way back up though. I like Sauble, it’s a fun track,” said Watson. “We’ll have to try to get the win in a couple of weeks.”

Watson was quick to thank his sponsors, his crew and support staff for a successful weekend which keeps him at the top of the OSCAAR standings through four events.
“There’s a bunch of guys that help out. Stu, Stevie, Steve Parsons, Kevin. Everybody that comes out. My mom, my brother, my sister – they always come out, my grandma,” he said.

 

“Of course I have to thank all of my sponsors, Shear Metal Products, Barrie Frame and Alignment, Klotz Synthetics, Ken Mackinnon Construction, and Knightworks Design.”

 

By Clayton Johns (@cjohnsmedia)

 

-30-

BLOOMINGTON, Ind.— July 3, 2013— There are 31 days in the month of July and Kraig Kinser and his fellow World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series competitors will be in action 14 of those days, making it the busiest month of the year for the series. For Kinser, who makes his living behind the wheel, this is a time of the year he always looks forward to. The ultra-busy stretch kicks-off this week at Huset’s Speedway, followed by a pair of races at Dodge City Raceway Park in the Casey’s General Store/Mesilla Valley Transportation Maxim.

The World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series annual visit to Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, S.D., is set for Wednesday, July 3. A trip south to Kansas, will find the best sprint car drivers in the world at Dodge City Raceway Park on Friday, July 5 and Saturday, July 6 for the Boothill Showdown.

“Racing with the World of Outlaws this is what you gear up for,” said Kinser. “We’ve already raced quite a bit this year with the expanded schedule, so everyone kind of knows what they have right now. We’ve had our ups and downs this year and our main goal is still to focus on qualifying well, which then puts us in a good sport for the rest of the night with the way the Outlaws race format is laid out.”

Last year at Huset’s Speedway, Kinser finished seventh, which marked his third straight top-10 showing at the high-banked three-eighths-mile located just outside of Sioux Falls. He opened the night by turning the sixth-fastest lap in time trials, followed by a runner-up finish in the third eight-lap heat race to earn a spot in the dash. In the dash, Kinser finished fifth, which put him on the inside of the third row for the 35-lap main event.

The third-generation driver raced for the first time at Huset’s in 2003. Kinser finished a career-best second at the track in 2005. He has made a total of eight starts at the venue in his career, earning four top-10 finishes.

“I’ve had some good runs up at Huset’s over the years,” he shared. “That can be a pretty tricky place sometimes. You carry some momentum around there, but with it being pretty tight you have to make sure you really hit your marks. Huset’s is a place I’ve always enjoyed racing at and it’s the only time of the year we make it to that area, so hopefully we put on a good show.”

Kinser scored his first-career win at Dodge City Raceway Park last season, claiming the finale of the Boothill Showdown. He started on the pole and led all 30 laps to pick up the victory over his father Steve. The third-generation driver has made 13 starts in his career at the high-banked, three-eighths-mile, racking up seven top-10 finishes along the way, with three of those being top-five performances.

“We had a great car on the second night at Dodge City (Raceway Park) last year,” Kinser said. “Starting up front always helps, but you still have to put in 30 good laps and not make any mistakes and hold off the 23 other drivers out there that are shooting for you. We have a good baseline for Dodge City and should be pretty good right off the truck and will make changes as needed throughout the night.”

Entering the 14-race stretch in July, which will feature the “Month of Money,” which begins next week, Kinser is 11th in the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series championship standings. He was victorious earlier this season at Orange County Fair Speedway in New York, and has 17 top-10 finishes, of which six are top-five showings.

Kraig Kinser Racing would like to thank Casey’s General Stores, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Maxim, King Racing Products, 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: Huset’s Speedway & Dodge City Raceway Park
0.375- Miles around both Huset’s Speedway and Dodge City Raceway Park
1- Night of racing in the state of South Dakota this season for the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series
3- Nights of racing this season for the series in Kansas
4- Top-10 finishes in his career with the World of Outlaws at Huset’s
8- Career main event starts at Huset’s Speedway
10.5- Average finishing position at Dodge City Raceway Park in 13 career starts
10.8- Average finish with the World of Outlaws at Huset’s in eight career starts
11- Current position in the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series standings
13- Career main event starts at Dodge City Raceway Park
17- Top-10 finishes earned this season
30- Laps led last season en route to winning at Dodge City
298- Miles from Cedar Lake Speedway in Wisconsin, where the World of Outlaws raced on June 30 to Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, S.D.
593- Miles from Huset’s Speedway where the World of Outlaws compete on July 3 to Dodge City Raceway Park in Kansas
2003- Year of first World of Outlaws start at Huset’s Speedway
2004- Year of first start at Dodge City Raceway Park
4612- Points earned this season through June 30

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
Listen live to each and every World of Outlaws event on DIRTVision.com with “The Voice of the Outlaws” Johnny Gibson on the call. Visitwww.DIRTVision.com for live audio of each and every World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series event.

INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, July 3, 2013) – INDYCAR announced today that it will implement three-wide starts for the IZOD IndyCar Series races at Pocono Raceway and Auto Club Speedway, reinstating a “Triple Crown” tradition.

“After having the opportunity to test at Pocono and a successful event at Auto Club Speedway last season, we were able to analyze track data and compare to our current start procedure for the Indianapolis 500,” said Beaux Barfield, race director, INDYCAR.  “Given the speeds of our starts, the location of accelerations zones, the spacing between rows and the length of the frontstraights at each track, we have decided to move forward with a three-wide lineup for the initial starts.”

Three-wide starts have been utilized annually for the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race since 1921, and were implemented at Pocono Raceway and Ontario (Calif.) Speedway during the 1970s and ’80s for the tracks’ Triple Crown legs.

The addition this year of the Fuzzy’s Triple Crown renews the tradition of the three superspeedway races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Pocono and Ontario from 1971-1980 and from 1981-89 at Indianapolis, Pocono and Michigan International Speedway.

The Pocono INDYCAR 400 Fueled by Sunoco on Sunday, July 7, is the middle leg of the Fuzzy’s Triple Crown. Cumulative two-lap qualifications on the 2.5-mile tri-oval are scheduled for 1:15 p.m. (ET) Saturday, July 6.

All restarts at both Pocono Raceway and the season-closing MAVTV 500 at Auto Club Speedway on Saturday, Oct. 19, will be single-file formation.