Category: Other Series PR

The OSCAAR Modified tour brings an upstart roster with it to Sunset Speedway this weekend after putting its best show on display last Friday at Delaware Speedway. The Modifieds, like the Super Late Models, will take part in their first ever set of back-to-back shows as part of the Don Biederman Memorial weekend. The series has seen three different winners in as many races so far this season with Jamie Cox earning his first ever tour win last week. Gary McLean and Brent McLean have also won in 2013.

In what was arguably the tour’s most exciting contest in its 15-race existence last week at Delaware, Jamie Cox (No. 3) held off Justin Demelo (No. 82), Barry Newman (No. 1) and Gary McLean (No. 8) for his first career OSCAAR win.

Cox is not expected to be in attendance this weekend, however each of the other three challengers are ready to duel for two consecutive nights. Gary McLean has yet to lose at Sunset Speedway under OSCAAR sanctioning and the veteran racer will look to extend his Sunset win streak to five on Saturday night.

Demelo has finished on the podium with OSCAAR three times, including last week at Delaware. The London, Ont. driver has fallen shy of defeating McLean on a couple of occasions and will look to find OSCAAR victory lane for the first time at some point this weekend.

Barry Newman has yet to win on the OSCAAR tour, but has proven to be one of the toughest competitors on the tour, despite competing on a part-time basis. Newman’s No. 1 modified won multiple Delaware weekly track championships and will look to add an OSCAAR victory to an already impressive resume.

Sophomore driver Matt Barton (No. 2) has had an impressive start to his season and currently sits third in the championship standings. The ‘New Hamburg Nightmare’ currently has one career top-five finish, which came at Sunset on opening day this season. Barton has been nothing if not consistent so far this season and will look to take that consistency to victory lane for the first time.

Brent McLean (No. 7) has also been solid in his start to the season after earning his third tour win at Barrie two weeks ago. McLean battled from a tough night at Delaware to finish in the top-ten and will also look to prove he is among the best open-wheel drivers in the province.

Bobby Tolton (No. 13) has had the toughest possible start to his rookie year. Tolton has suffered radiator and clutch problems already this year, but the team has persevered through the adversity in order to make every show. The Guelph, Ont. driver has had to thrash to get ready at times, but continues to bring one of the most impressive looking cars to the track each week. He will look to gather his first top-five finish this weekend at Sunset.

Chuck Marsh (No. 38) and Shane Stickel (No. 39) are expected to make their first career OSCAAR Modified starts this season. Marsh has a storied history on the Ontario racing scene and has been involved from the grassroots level to the CASCAR Super Series.

Stickel’s entry is one of the most highly anticipated since the series’ debut as the defending Vintage Modified champion brings a completely rebuilt Troyer Racecars/McColl Racing Enterprises chassis for his first start. Stickel’s car was not ready in time for graphics, so it will be run with an atypical plain white scheme.

With less than 48 hours remaining until the green flag, 19 drivers are listed as ‘Probable Entries’ for the two-day show at Sunset, potentially a new series record.

The OSCAAR Modified tour will take part in 30-lap features on back-to-back nights at Sunset Speedway. The series will use its traditional two-round qualifying heats to set the field for the main event each evening.

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Directions: For directions to Sunset Speedway, enter the following address in to your GPS or preferred travel website: 6918 Yonge St., Innisfil, ON.

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

By Clayton Johns (@cjohnsmedia)

OSCAAR Racing will make history this weekend with back-to-back 50-lap feature events at Sunset Speedway on June 29 & June 30 to mark the 15^th annual Don Biederman Memorial. OSCAAR has never raced complete shows on consecutive days, but will do so this weekend for the first time as part of its biggest event of the season.

The purse for the series’ biggest event has increased by $9300 in cash and prizes courtesy of a number of sponsors. Stefko Racing Engines, McColl Racing Enterprises, South Shore Services, McGunegill Engine Performance, and Sunset Speedway have combined to add an additional $7000 to the purse, which will award the overall Don Biederman Memorial winner an additional $1000.

VP Racing Fuels will also present a 55 gallon barrel of 110 octane racing fuel to the hard charger in each of this weekend’s features, a sponsorship valued at $1500.

The Don Biederman Memorial, since its creation, has been the most coveted trophy in Super Late Model racing in Ontario. Eight different drivers have taken home the Biederman trophy of which four will be in action this weekend. Jeff Hanley has won the event four times (2007-2011) and Rob Clarke (1999, 2005) twice.  Derrick Tiemersma (2007) and Brandon Watson (2012) have also had the honour of hoisting the Biederman hardware. John Fletcher (2002-2004) Dave Taylor (2000), Stu Robinson Jr. (2001), and TJ Woolsley (2006) have also won the coveted trophy.

Saturday’s event will feature time trials for the Super Late Models, the first time OSCAAR has used the format since the series’ 2011 event at Sauble Speedway. Time trials will be crucial in qualifying for the 50-lap finale as it will determine the starting order for the only round of Klotz qualifying heats.

Knightworks Design is the official sponsor of time trials, and is offering an additional $500 for the Fastest Outlaw. The second fastest car will earn an extra $250 and the Hard Luck qualifier will receive $100. Only the top four finishers from each of the three heats will be guaranteed to start the main event. The remaining drivers will qualify through the B-Main.

J.R. Fitzpatrick (No. 27 Passer Racing Chevrolet) may hold the biggest advantage heading in to time trials, having considerable experience from multiple years of competition with the CASCAR Super Series and NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. Fitzpatrick will make his first OSCAAR start of the season after two starts last season, including a fourth-place finish at Sunset’s Velocity event.

Andrew Gresel (No. 81 Sauble Falls Ford) also gained some qualifying experience during the offseason in a trip to Daytona International Speedway with ARCA. While Gresel was not able to make the field, the Hepworth, Ont. driver says he took away valuable skills from the experience.

Brandon Watson (No. 9 Shear Metal Products Chevrolet) enters the event with the hot hand, having won the first two events of the season. What may prove especially interesting this weekend is the return of George Wilson (No. 77 Port City Racecars), who Watson battled with for much of the 2012 season en route to his first OSCAAR championship. The two drivers will renew their rivalry on OSCAAR’s biggest stage.

Derrick Tiemersma (No. 7 Wayfreight Chevrolet) is also among the drivers holding the hot hand, as the Newmarket, Ont. driver has finished on the podium in both starts this season.

Kevin Cornelius (No. 17 Halton Crushed Stone Pontiac) and Gresel made it clear two week ago at Barrie Speedway they would battle until the very end for the 2013 OSCAAR rookie title. Cornelius has yet to finish outside the top-ten and Gresel earned an impressive third-place finish of his own at Barrie. The pair will have to deal with Fitzpatrick and Sean Cronan (No. 8 Lockeroom Sports Bar Chevrolet) for rookie points this weekend as one driver will look to gain the rookie lead.

With over 30 drivers expected to be in attendance, the OSCAAR Super Late Model tour is looking to set a new car count record. The previous record of 28 was set at Sunset’s Velocity event on September 25, 2011. Racing gets underway both nights at 6:30pm, with spectator gates opening at 5:00pm. Fans will be able to purchase individual day tickets for $25 or a two-day ticket for $45. For more information on tickets, visit www.sunsetspeedway.ca. For a full schedule of events, visit www.oscaar.ca.

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Directions: For directions to Sunset Speedway, enter the following address in to your GPS or preferred travel website: 6918 Yonge St., Innisfil, ON.

About Don Biederman: Living in Oakville, ON, Don Biederman established himself as one of the premier short-track racers in all of Canada. The first Canadian to compete full-time on the NASCAR Grand National tour (now the Sprint Cup Series), Biederman would also pioneer Super Late Model racing in Ontardio and help pave the way for what would be established as OSCAAR in 1990.

Biederman would go head-to-head on a number of occasions with arch-rival Junior Hanley for Super Late Model supremacy in the province and in the Northeast. Biederman was a hard-nosed racer that never turned away from a challenge and refused to shy away from an opportunity to have his voice heard.

Biederman’s greatest racing accomplishment was a win at the 1977 Oxford 250 in Oxford, ME where he defeated a number of NASCAR’s national stars. Biederman often raced across the border in New York and Michigan during the week before running races throughout on Ontario on the weekend. Biederman was among the last of his kind – a short-track driver to race for a living.

Biederman passed away in 1999 with an outpouring of grief from the Ontario racing community. He was inducted to the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2001. The first OSCAAR Don Biederman Memorial was run in 1999, with Rob Clarke the victor. Each year since, the race has been the premier event on the OSCAAR schedule.

With files from the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame

OSCAAR is mourning the passing of Jimmy Granger (1953-2013). Granger passed away earlier this month and was heavily involved with the Don Biederman Memorial. Granger, in association with Dave Franks, ‘Jingles’ Menar, Rob Perkins, and Ted O’Connor, helped ensure the Biederman Memorial race car was able to make it to the track for each of the 14 memorial races during his lifetime. OSCAAR offers its deepest sympathies to the friends and family of Mr. Granger.

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

By Clayton Johns (@cjohnsmedia)

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TORONTO, ON, June 28, 2013 – The Honda Indy Toronto officially welcomes four new partners, WIND Mobile/Samsung Galaxy 4, RUSH, Porter Airlines and Hyatt Regency Toronto, to the roster of sponsors for its 2013 event, taking place July 12-14.

“We are committed to providing a first-class experience for our fans and securing a role for top-tier sponsors is an important part of that goal,” said Charlie Johnstone, President of the Honda Indy Toronto. “We are thrilled to welcome these four partners and are confident that they will contribute to the hospitality and festival atmosphere of the event.”

WIND Mobile, the official telecommunications sponsor of the Honda Indy Toronto, will feature the Samsung GALAXY S4 in the run-up to the event. Attendees can call, text, tweet, pin, Instagram and Facebook to their heart’s content with one of WIND’s real unlimited plans, while those who visit the WIND Mobile event space during the weekend, will be able to try the handset for themselves. A number of lucky race-goers will also have the chance to win their very own Samsung handset in a straight-up skill test – you vs. the super-smart GALAXY S4.

RUSH, a film directed by Ron Howard, is the biography of F1 champion Niki Lauda and stars Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl. Howard will provide a personal message that will be used during the opening ceremonies for 2inTO, the IZOD IndyCar Series races at Honda Indy Toronto.

Race fans from across Canada and the United States now have easier than ever access to this event, thanks to the partnership with Porter Airlines. Porter Escapes vacation packages are available from any Porter Airlines gateway and include flights, hotel accommodation and 3-day event passes. Four-star hotel choices include Hyatt Regency Toronto, official hotel of Honda Indy Toronto, as well as the Sheraton Centre Toronto and Westin Harbour Castle.

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 IZOD IndyCar Series 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.

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SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich.—June 28, 2013 — Doubleheaders always invoke a sense of excitement and a bit of nostalgia in baseball. Same goes for racing, as doubleheaders are not quite as prevalent as they used to be. For the USAC Traxxas Silver Crown and Honda USAC National Midget Series a trio of doubleheaders are part of the 2013 campaign, and Taylor Ferns is slated to compete in each of the three events. The first of these twin bills is this weekend at Pikes Peak International Raceway in Colorado.

The Rocky Mountain Classic for the USAC Traxxas Silver Crown Series and Honda USAC National Midget Pavement Championship is set for Saturday, June 29. A 100-lap event is scheduled for the USAC Traxxas Silver Crown Series, while the Honda USAC National Midget Pavement Championship will contest a 25-lapper on the one-mile paved oval.

“Having two races and twice as much seat time will definitely provide a great opportunity to get the feel for the track and used to it,” said Ferns. “I haven’t had a lot of experience going between the Silver Crown car and a Midget on the same day, so that will be a good learning experience. It will definitely take a little getting used to, especially on a track that big, but I’m up for it and hopefully will get up to speed quick.”

Ferns will be making her second USAC Traxxas Silver Crown Series start of the season aboard the No. 35 for Team 6R Racing. She raced in the Hoosier 100 on the dirt last month in Indianapolis. Last season she made three Silver Crown starts on the pavement, finishing a season-best 10th at the seven-eighths-mile Iowa Speedway, in her first-ever series start. Pikes Peak will mark the biggest pavement track she has competed on in an open wheel car.

“I’ve been used to running longer races this year with the ARCA car and the Silver Crown race at the Indiana State Fairgrounds,” noted the 2011 USAC D1 Midget Series champion. “I think I have adapted pretty well and am now used to running longer races. It’s a little tougher in the midget, because you have 25 or so laps and just about as the race is over, I feel like I am getting going.”

Ferns has made three starts with the Honda USAC Nation Midget Pavement Championship in 2013 in her family-owned No. 55 Motor City Auto Transport Inc. Beast. She opened the season at the half-mile New Smyrna Speedway in Florida, and also competed in the Night Before the 500 at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, which is a 0.686-mile oval. The 17-year-old finished 11th on the second night at New Smyrna and was 13th at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.

“The biggest track I’ve raced a midget on has been Lucas Oil Raceway (at Indianapolis), so it will be something new going to Pikes Peak, with how big of a track that is,” she shared. “Like I said, having raced the ARCA cars this year and having been in a bunch of different cars should help me adapt a lot easier. Talking to my crew chief Tracy Hines will help as well, because he’s been there in the past and will be racing this weekend as well.”

Last weekend, the native of Shelby Township, Mich., competed at Angell Park Speedway in Wisconsin, in a tri-sanctioned event with the Honda USAC National Midget Series, POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series and the Badger Midget Auto Racing Association. She qualified 16th, which put her on the front row of the first 10-lap heat race. Ferns would win that heat race to earn a spot in the 30-lap Sue Thiel Memorial. A couple of broken during the main event forced her to pull in, thus ending her night early.

Entering competition this weekend, Ferns is 10th in points with the Honda USAC National Midget Pavement Championship, with three races in the books. She also has made three starts with the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, finishing ninth in her series debut in March at Mobile International Speedway in Alabama, after qualifying fifth.

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

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

The OSCAAR Super Late Model tour is pleased to announce the addition of VP Racing Fuels as the official sponsor of the Hard Charger Award for the 15^th annual Don Biederman Memorial at Sunset International Speedway on June 29 & 30.

In association with VP Racing Fuels representative Randy Lungel, OSCAAR President Dave Gainforth announced Wednesday VP Fuels will award a 55 US gallons barrel of 110 octane racing fuel to the Hard Charger of both feature events as part of the Biederman Memorial. Each fuel barrel has a retail value of $725 CAD.

The VP Fuels Hard Charger award will be presented to the driver who has the greatest increase between his starting and finishing positions in the feature event. The award will be given to one driver following each 50-lap feature on June 29 & 30.

VP Racing Fuels has a longstanding partnership with OSCAAR Racing in Ontario and is a contingency sponsor with the OSCAAR Super Late Model tour once again in 2013.

VP Fuels joins Knightworks Design as primary sponsors for the first OSCAAR event on back-to-back days in the series’ history.

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About VP Racing Fuels: VP Racing Fuels was founded by Steve Burns in the early 1970’s as a young racer in San Antonio, Texas. Self-taught in chemistry and physics, Steve was convinced the race fuel manufacturers of the day were falling short in their quest for optimum horsepower. To address this shortcoming, he began experimenting with exotic blends of fuel, much to the dismay of his parents whose garage served as Steve’s laboratory. From a single location with two employees in San Antonio, Texas, VP has grown to approximately 100 employees with four company owned and operated racing fuel distribution points in Texas, Indiana, Georgia and Delaware, as well as a regional sales office in southern California and distributorships in Florida and Kansas; Calgary, Ontario and Montreal, Canada.

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

By Clayton Johns (@cjohnsmedia)

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — June 27, 2013— High-banked short tracks are the name of the game this weekend for Kraig Kinser and his fellow World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series competitors. These types of tracks usually bode well for the native of Bloomington, Ind., who grew up racing on small, high-banked bullrings. A trio of steep speedways in the Midwest await as the series makes its only stop of the year in Illinois at LaSalle Speedway, followed by a traditional pair of races in Wisconsin, at Beaver Dam Raceway and Cedar Lake Speedway.

Kinser will make his first start at LaSalle Speedway in Illinois since 2010 on Friday, June 28 aboard the Casey’s General Store/Mesilla Valley Transportation/King Racing Products Maxim. The series then heads to Wisconsin for the annual visit to Beaver Dam Raceway on Saturday, June 29 for the Jim Boyd “JB” Memorial and Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond on Sunday, June 30.

Kinser finished ninth in his last visit to LaSalle in 2010. He opened that night by turning the second-fastest lap in time trials of the 26 entries. He finished third in the second 10-lap heat race to earn a spot in the dash, where he came home fourth, which put him on the outside of the second row for the start of the 35-lap A-Feature.  Kinser raced at the quarter-mile for the first time with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series in 2004.

“LaSalle can be a pretty challenging and tricky track,” said Kinser. “It can be rough or it can be slick, you just have to see what the weather is like and the hand we are dealt by Mother Nature. LaSalle has long straightaways and tights turns. It’s a track where if you have everything right, you can make up some ground. It’s definitely a racy little track and a fun place to race at.”

The native of Bloomington, Ind., was victorious at Beaver Dam Raceway last season, taking the lead from his father Steve on lap-24. The third-generation driver has made 10 starts in his career at the high-banked, third-mile picking up five top-10 finishes in the process. He has raced at the Wisconsin oval in eight different seasons with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series.

“It’s always a plus to go to a place where you’ve won at or done well at in the past, because you know what it takes to contend there,” he noted. “Beaver Dam is a small track, but it can get real wide and real racy. We’ve run pretty well on the smaller tracks this season and should be able to use a little bit of what worked and what we learned last weekend at Grand Forks (River Cities Speedway).”

At Cedar Lake Speedway last year, Kinser finished sixth to earn his second-career top-10 finish at the high-banked, three-eighths-mile. The 2005 winner of the Knoxville Nationals made his first trip to Cedar Lake Speedway in 2004 and finished a very solid fourth in that event. The World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series has raced every year except one, since 1983 at Cedar Lake.

“Cedar Lake (Speedway) has a lot of banking and is a fast place,” said the third-generation driver. “The wall in turn two comes into play, especially when you are up top with all the momentum you carry around there. It’s a quick place, so you have to time in good and race good and like every night out here, getting in the dash and starting toward the front is a pretty important factor in how your night will turn out.”

Going into the final three races of June, Kinser sits 11th in the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series championship standings. He has one win this season and has earned 16 top-10 finishes, with six of those being top-fives. Beginning this weekend, the series will race 19 times in a span of 34 days.

“With how much we’ll be racing in the next few weeks, you definitely have to start thinking and planning ahead,” he stated. “It’s going to be a busy for sure and if you are running good it makes it all go a lot smoother and that’s what we’re striving for. We had a good weekend last weekend and hopefully we can build on that this weekend.”

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: LaSalle Speedway, Beaver Dam Raceway & Cedar Lake Speedway
0.25- Miles around LaSalle Speedway
0.33- Distance around Beaver Dam Raceway in miles
0.375- Miles around Cedar Lake Speedway
1- Race in Illinois this season for the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series
2- Career main events starts at LaSalle with the World of Outlaws
8- Main event starts in his career at Cedar Lake Speedway
10- Career appearances with the World of Outlaws at Beaver Dam
12.8- Average finish in eight main event appearances at Cedar Lake
13.2- Average finish in 10 A-Feature starts at Beaver Dam Raceway
15- Average finishing position in two main event starts at LaSalle Speedway
17- Laps led en route to winning at Beaver Dam Raceway last season
172- Miles from LaSalle Speedway in Illinois, where the World of Outlaws compete on June 28 to Beaver Dam Raceway in Wisconsin
255- Distance in miles from Beaver Dam Raceway where the series races on June 29 to Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wisc.
576- Miles from I-94 Speedway in Fergus Falls, Minn., where the World of Outlaws competed on June 22 to LaSalle Speedway in Illinois
2003- Year of first start at both Beaver Dam Raceway and Cedar Lake Speedway
2004- Year of first appearance LaSalle Speedway
4242- Points earned this season through June 22

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.

NEW CASTLE, Ind. — June 27, 2013— Some tracks just suit a driver and their driving style. For veteran Tracy Hines one of those places is Pikes Peak International Raceway in Colorado. He not only has a pair of wins in two different types of cars at the one-mile oval, but he’s also the track record holder in the USAC Traxxas Silver Crown Series, setting that mark in 1999. Hines will return to the venue this weekend for the running of the Rocky Mountain Classic for the USAC Traxxas Silver Crown Series and Honda USAC National Midget Series.

The doubleheader at Pikes Peak International Raceway in Fountain, Colo., is set for Saturday, June 29. The USAC Traxxas Silver Crown Series will take to the track for a 100-lap race, while the Honda USAC National Midget Series Pavement Championship will contest a 25-lap main event.

“It’s been quite a while since we raced at Pikes Peak,” said Hines. “That’s a beautiful facility and it’s good to see open wheel racing coming back to the oval, just like at Gateway (Motorsports Park) when we raced there earlier this month. The fans in that area don’t our form of racing very often, so hopefully they are able to make it out and we put on a good show for them.”

Hines had two career wins at Pikes Peak, which last hosted USAC racing in 2005. The native of New Castle, Ind., scored his first win at the track in 1999 in a 100-lap USAC Traxxas Silver Crown Series event. He returned to Victory Lane at Pikes Peak in 2003 with the USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series.

“Pikes Peak is a fast place, especially in a midget,” he shared. “You carry a lot of momentum and keep it wound up all the way around. With 100 laps in the Silver Crown race you have to time to work your way forward, but 25 laps in a midget goes by in a hurry, so you really have to be on it from the drop of the green flag.”

The most recent two starts that Hines made at Pikes Peak came in a Silver Crown/Midget twin bill in 2005. In the USAC Traxxas Silver Crown Series portion of that event, he was fastest in qualifying of the 39 drivers that took to the track to earn the pole position for the 100-lap race. He led the opening 40 circuits and was running near the front with 30 laps-to-go when a broken driveline ended his day. On the midget side he finished fifth, after qualifying seventh-fastest of the 32 drivers in attendance.

“As a driver you tend to remember the ones that slip away sometimes more than the ones you win,” explained Hines. “We definitely had a good set-up the last time we were at Pikes Peak and had a mechanical problem in the Silver Crown race, which was very disappointing. A track never owes you anything, but I feel like we have some unfinished business there.”

The USAC Traxxas Silver Crown Series has contested two races thus far in 2013, with the season opener on the dirt at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, where Hines finished third in the Lightfoot Racing No. 16. On the pavement he competed with the series at Gateway Motorsports Park outside of St. Louis earlier this month. He is currently seventh in the USAC Traxxas Silver Crown Series standings, just two markers out of the top-five.

Hines has raced three times with the USAC National Midget Series Pavement Championship in 2013 aboard the Parker Machinery/Powered by Toyota Spike and has finished eighth or better in all three. He ran third in his most recent start at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis in the Night Before the 500 on May 25. He opened the midget season on the pavement at the half-mile New Smyrna Speedway in Florida with finishes of third and eighth. Hines is currently fourth in points with the series, only 16 markers out of the lead. A total of eight races comprise the 2013 Honda USAC National Midget Series Pavement Championship.

“We don’t have that many pavement races this year, so we try to make the most of the ones we have,” he noted. “I’ve had quite a bit of success over the years on the pavement and my first USAC National win came on a paved track at Winchester (Speedway in Indiana), so I’ve always had an affinity for the asphalt tracks.”

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. Unpredictable first half sets stage for championship battle

2. IZOD IndyCar Series drivers nominated for ESPY Awards 

3. Davison eyes more after successful test with Dale Coyne Racing 

1. Unpredictable first half sets stage for championship battle: Entering the second season of the chassis-engine platform, IZOD IndyCar Series drivers and team personnel knew that the competition at each of the 16 venues would be exceptionally keen.

The field’s depth of talent and experience, combined with knowledge gained about the car’s characteristics on the diverse racetracks, immediately set in motion scintillating racing and unexpected results. 

• There have been seven different winners representing six teams in the 10 races.

• There have been three first-time winners.

• Seven different teams are represented in the top 10 of the standings.

• Nine points separate 1-2 in the driver standings.

• Twenty-one drivers have at least one top-five finish.

• There have been seven different winners of the Verizon P1 Award for earning the pole.

• No driver has led laps in all 10 races. Reigning champion Ryan Hunter-Reay is tops with seven races led for a total of 216 laps.

• There were a record 68 lead changes in the Indianapolis 500 among 14 drivers.

“It’s circumstances. All the teams are improving. It shows that the series is very, very competitive,” said Helio Castroneves, the championship front-runner who is seeking his first IZOD IndyCar Series title. “It gives an opportunity for a guy — rookie — to win races. That is why our series is one of the best.”

With nine races left, including a pair of doubleheader race weekends in which each race pays full points, championship contender additions – or deletions – won’t come into clear view until early October.

“These races are so hard to win,” said James Hinchcliffe, who’s won a series-high three races. “You’ve got to be with a good crew, good car, good pit stops, call it right, drive smart and have some luck.  And you can’t take anything for granted. You can’t assume you’re in a good position, because there are legitimately 12 guys any weekend that can win a race, and you just never know if you’ll ever win another one.”

A look at some items that stand out as the series moves into the second half:

WHO’S HOT

Hunter-Reay has totaled 176 points in the past four oval races (all podiums, including a victory in the Milwaukee IndyFest) and added 53 points from the Detroit doubleheader. In that span, he’s moved from sixth in the standings exiting Sao Paulo to second.

Andretti Autosport has won five of the 10 races (three by Hinchcliffe and two by Hunter-Reay), including the past two on short ovals. Three of its four drivers are 2-3-4 in the championship.

“I think the team has a lot of confidence in each other and themselves and now we can just try and rip off some consistent results because you look at Marco (Andretti) and you look at Helio, I’ve got more wins than anybody but those guys are ahead of me because they have been more consistent,” Hinchcliffe said.

MR. CONSISTENCY

Castroneves has recorded 216 points in the past six races – all top-10 finishes. Over the 10 races, he has one victory and one finish out of the top 10. Bonuses totaling 25 points have aided his drive for a first series title.

The three-time Indianapolis 500 champion is the only driver to complete all 1,423 laps. He’s been running at the finish in the past 22 races.

CLOSE AS ALWAYS

4.34 seconds – Average margin of victory in the six street/road course races. There’s been a low of .3463 of a second at Sao Paulo and a high of 12.9707 seconds in Detroit 1.

3.66 seconds – Average margin of victory in three of the four ovals (Indianapolis 500 finished under caution). There’s been a low of 1.5009 seconds at Iowa and a high of 4.8059 seconds at Milwaukee.

NUMBERS TO NOTE

20.6 – Average number of cars running at the finish with 25 the average number of starters in nine events (outside of the Indianapolis 500, which had 26 of 33 cars running at the finish).

12.6 – Average number of lead changes. There’s been a record-high of 68 at Indianapolis.

6.1 – Average number of lap leaders. There’s been a high of 14 at Indianapolis.

2 – Fewest DNFs at Sao Paulo and Texas Motor Speedway.

1 Laps led by a race winner (Hinchcliffe at Sao Paulo). Conversely, Takuma Sato led a field-high 109 of 250 laps at Milwaukee and wasn’t the winner.

1 –  Fewest cautions at Barber Motorsports Park for four laps.

187.433 mph — Average speed (race record) in Indianapolis 500.

WHAT’S AHEAD

Another superspeedway – Pocono Raceway on July 7 – kicks off the second-half push, immediately followed by another doubleheader weekend on the streets of Exhibition Place in Toronto. Natural-terrain road course events at Mid-Ohio and Sonoma follow before the third event on the streets of Baltimore on Labor Day weekend.

The third doubleheader of the season – on the streets of Houston, the first Indy car race there since 2007 – will either define or muddle the championship chase heading into the finale on the 2-mile Auto Club Speedway oval. The champion has been decided in the season-ending race each of the past seven years.

2. IZOD IndyCar Series drivers nominated for ESPY Awards: 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay and 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan have been nominated for an ESPY Award in the “Best Driver” category.

The 21st ESPYs will be broadcast live July 17 (9 p.m. ET on ESPN) from the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles with host Jon Hamm. The event celebrates the best sports moments of the year.

Fans have the opportunity to select the winners in each category by voting online through July 17 at http://espn.go.com/espys/2013/

Hunter-Reay became the first American IZOD IndyCar Series champion since 2006 as he won four races in 2012. Kanaan captured the 97th Indianapolis 500 on May 26, a record-setting race that saw 14 leaders and 68 lead changes.  Jimmy Vasser was the last Indy car driver to win the Best Driver Award in 1997.

The ESPYs and related events benefit the V Foundation for Cancer Research in memory of the late Jim Valvano.

3. Davison eyes more after successful test with Dale Coyne Racing: James Davison, a two-time winner of Firestone Indy Lights races at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, joined Dale Coyne Racing for testing on the road course this week.

“It was great to finally get a proper chance to see what I could do in these impressive cars and have a bench mark with Justin running on a track we race on,” Davison said. “It is great to be here as a rookie and especially have Justin Wilson as a teammate to help in all that happens on and off the track in preparation for this day.”

Davison, who earned victories at Mid-Ohio in 2008 and ’09, received the 2008 Sunoco Most Improved Driver Award.

“James did a great job,” team owner Dale Coyne said.  “James had won two races here in Indy Lights but has not raced an open-wheel car in four years. To be within one second of Justin’s comparable times was very impressive.”

***

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 Sukup 100 from Iowa Speedway will be telecast at 11 p.m. (ET) on June 28.

Concord, NC (June 27, 2013) – Standout Driver Brennan Poole has partnered with Los Angeles, California based; Break the Cycle for this weekend’s ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards event at Winchester Speedway.

Coming off a monumental win two-weeks ago in his season debut at Michigan International Speedway, his fourth ARCA career victory, Poole is confident he’ll compete strong and hopes to make a return to victory lane with Break the Cycle this weekend at Winchester Speedway.

Poole will strap into his car Sunday afternoon in the Herr’s Chase the Taste 200 driving the No.55 Break the Cycle Toyota with support from Mudd Advertising featuring the AD MAN Book.

Founded in 1996, Break the Cycle is the only U.S. agency to provide comprehensive dating abuse prevention programs exclusively to young people. Break the Cycle engages, educates and empowers young people to build lives and communities free from domestic and dating violence.

“As a spokesperson for Break the Cycle I’m honored to carry and deliver the message. This is a very serious problem few people talk about. One in three young people experience some sort of abuse in their relationships. Teen dating and domestic violence affects us all in some sort of way. We must continue to educate people and help them find solutions so we can promote healthy relationships,” says Brennan Poole.

Break the Cycle is a national organization offering a comprehensive program which reaches the root of the problem and offers sound solutions and advice for young people to help free them of being a victims of dating violence. Over the last 15-years, Break the Cycle has reached more than 3.5 million young people.

“Break the Cycle is so excited to be partnering with Brennan Poole to raise awareness of healthy relationships. Brennan speaking out on this issue is certain to make a huge impact on our ability to prevent abuse,” stated Marjorie Gilberg, Executive Director of Break the Cycle.

Brennan will be speaking at the ‘LoveIsRespect’ National Youth Advisory Board Conference in Los Angeles on July 12-14.The annual conference brings selected young leaders together for a two-day retreat with the common goal of coming together to continue their fight against young people domestic violence issues.

Coming off his monumental win two-weeks ago in his season debut at Michigan International Speedway, his fourth ARCA career victory, Poole is confident he’ll compete strong and hopes to make a return to victory lane with Break the Cycle this weekend at Winchester Speedway.

Poole, who competed full-time in the ARCA Series for Venturini Motorsports in 2012 finished third in the national point standings, is running a limited race schedule as he pursues additional sponsorship opportunities. The Herr’s Chase the Taste 200 will also be the first ARCA Racing Series race that will air on NBC Sports Network. NBC Sports Network’s ARCA racing coverage premieres Thursday, August 1, at 11 p.m. ET with the Winchester race. ARCAracing.com will also feature live timing and scoring of all ARCA Racing Series on-track activity, and provide live flag-to-flag audio coverage of the Herr’s Chase The Taste 200 Sunday.

About Break the Cycle
Break the Cycle is a leading, national nonprofit organization working to end dating abuse. Our mission is to engage, educate and empower teens and young adults to build lives and communities free from domestic and dating violence. We believe every young person, regardless of ethnicity, gender or sexual identity has the right to a safe and healthy relationship. In addition to creating innovative violence prevention education programs and public campaigns, Break the Cycle works on laws and policies to help ensure that all young people have access to the tools they need to prevent, diagnose and escape unhealthy relationships.

Founded in 1996, Break the Cycle is one half of loveisrespect, the ultimate source of support for young people to stop abuse, sponsored in partnership with the National Dating Abuse Helpline. More information on both organizations can be found at: www.breakthecycle.org | www.loveisrespect.org | facebook.com/breakthecycle | twitter.com/breakthecycledv

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