Category: Other Series PR

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

1.       Andretti: Hunter-Reay is ‘prime-time’ performer

2.       Inside the Box Score: Milwaukee IndyFest

1. Andretti: Hunter-Reay is ‘prime-time’ performer: After watchingRyan Hunter-Reay’s controlled performance in winning the Milwaukee IndyFest for the second year in a row, Andretti Autosport team owner Michael Andretti said the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series champion is “definitely in his prime.”

Andretti doesn’t need to look far for a comparison.

The second-generation racer was 30 when he won the 1991 CART IndyCar World Series championship for Newman/Haas Racing. Runner-up championship finishes sandwiched the title season, and over the three years Andretti recorded 18 of his 42 Indy car victories.

With the Milwaukee victories as bookends, Hunter-Reay has amassed 570 points over 17 races. That includes a series-high six wins and four other top-five finishes.  Helio Castroneves is second with 527 points (two victories, two other podiums, two fifth-place finishes) and Scott Dixon is third with 453 points (one victory, two other podiums, five other top-five finishes).

Hunter-Reay accumulated 287 points (four wins, a fourth place) in the final eight races of 2012 — 78 points more than championship runner-up Will Power and 55 more than Dixon, the next highest scorer.

Through nine races this season, Hunter-Reay has moved to 16 points behind the front-running Castroneves (299 points) in the championship standings on the strength of two victories and three other podium finishes. Marco Andretti, the pole sitter at Milwaukee, is third with 249 points.

“(Ryan’s) at the perfect age. He’s got all the experience he needs.  He knows exactly what he needs in a race car,” said Michael Andretti, who won five times at The Milwaukee Mile as a driver and now an equal number as a team owner.  “He knows what he needs when he’s at certain positions in the race.  Those are the things you just learn through experience.  Those are things that win you championships.”

Hunter-Reay was seventh in the championship entering the June 2012 Milwaukee IndyFest (75 points behind the front-running Power and coming off a 21st place at Texas because of a mechanical issue) and headed to the next race at Iowa Speedway in fourth place.

Three consecutive victories and four overall in the closing nine races put the heat on Power, who built a sizable advantage based on three consecutive wins in a row in the first half of the season. The title showdown in the season finale went to Hunter-Reay by three points.

“In sports, when you get into a momentum, a rhythm, it’s not something you can put a price tag on or finger on, it just happens,” said Hunter-Reay, who led Castroneves across the Milwaukee Mile finish line by 4.8 seconds. “It kind of saturates the team with this feeling that, ‘Hey, we can get it done. If we perform to our best, to our potential, we can absolutely win races.’

“That carried over week in, week out. We were able to win four more races than anybody else last year. It all started (at Milwaukee) last year. This is a great place to start. Andretti has great cars. You put the two together, and hopefully it comes out the way we want.”

Over the past 17 races – Milwaukee to Milwaukee – a look at how top eight have fared:

• Ryan Hunter-Reay (570 points total) … 283 points in first nine races this season (two wins, three other podium finishes) … Second in standings

• Helio Castroneves (527 points total) … 299 points this season (one win, three other podiums finishes, four other top-10 finishes) … Championship standings leader by 16 points

• Scott Dixon (453 points total) … 221 points this season (one podium, three other top-five finishes) … Fifth in standings

• Marco Andretti (409 points total) … 249 points this season (two podium finishes, five other top-10 finishes) … Third in standings

• Tony Kanaan (406 points total) … 215 points this season (one victory, one other podium, two other top-10 finishes) … Sixth in standings

• Simon Pagenaud (400 points total) …212 points this season (one victory, four other top-10 finishes) … Seventh in standings

• Will Power (397 points total) … 188 points this season (one podium, three other top-10 finishes) … 11th in standings

• Takuma Sato (380 points total) … 223 points this season (one victory, one other podium, two other top-10 finishes) … Fourth in standings

Notables from 2013 season: Justin Wilson – 207 points (two podiums, four other top 10s) — eighth in standings) … James Hinchcliffe – 206 points (two victories, two other top 10s) – ninth in standings

2. Inside the Box Score: Milwaukee IndyFest: Some numbers to note from the Milwaukee IndyFest, the ninth race of the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series season.

2.72 – Average running position of race winner Ryan Hunter-Reay during the 250 laps.

3 -Wins for Ryan Hunter-Reay at the Milwaukee Mile since he won his first oval race at the track in 2004.

4.41 – Average running position of fourth-place finisher E.J. Viso during the 250 laps.

5.84 – Average running position of second-place finisher Helio Castroneves during the 250 laps.

6 – Consecutive top-five starts for E.J. Viso.

11 – Indy car wins for Ryan Hunter-Reay.

15 – Positions improved by Dario Franchitti and Helio Castroneves, the most positions gained in the race.

16 – Points separating Helio Castroneves and Ryan Hunter-Reay in the IZOD IndyCar Series point standing after Hunter-Reay’s win.

30 – Laps that Justin Wilson improved his position over the 250 laps of competition, most of any driver.

47 – Wins as a car owner by Michael Andretti, which ranks fourth all-time among Indy car team owners. Andretti is third among Indy car race winners with 42.

109 – Laps led by Takuma Sato, the most he has led in any IZOD IndyCar Series race.

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

205 – 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.

***

The next IZOD IndyCar Series race is the Iowa Corn Indy 250 presented by DEKALB on June 23 at Iowa Speedway. The race will be televised live at 2:30 p.m. (ET) 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 Sukup 100 at 7:45 p.m. (ET) on June 22 at Iowa Speedway. The race will be televised by NBC Sports Network at 11 p.m. (ET) on June 28.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 17, 2013) – He’s been nosing around it for a while and Steve Mathews feels it’s time to take the next step.

Mathews splashed onto the scene in 2009 in his NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 debut at the Speedway at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario by setting fast time in practice and the race results showed it wasn’t a stab in the dark. After qualifying fourth, the now 22-year-old out of New Liskeard, Ontario finished sixth to prove that he could compete with Canada’s best stock-car competitors.

In three subsequent races on that same half-mile oval Mathews has driven his No. 15 Bill Mathews Motors Ford to two more top-10 finishes and a start from the outside pole position a year ago in the Clarington 200.

After 22 series starts – primarily on ovals – across five seasons now, Mathews, who scored a series career-best finish of third on June 15 at Delaware (Ontario) Speedway, has three top-five finishes and two pole wins. While not an indictment on his performance Mathews notes the glaring lack of a victory. Considering the competition, it’s not a huge red flag, but he thinks it’s past time to go to Victory Lane. Further whetting his appetite for a win was last September’s battle at Barrie (Ontario) Speedway. Mathews started from the pole position and had a late-race lead before tangling with some traffic resulting in a disappointing finish in fourth.

“I really thought we had that one, but it didn’t work out,” said Mathews. “When you get that close it makes you want it even more. I have no doubt that we’ll get there. We have a solid team.”

Cutting his racing teeth on the half-mile oval at Delaware, Mathews believes the two Ontario tracks are similar enough for the experience to transfer.

“I began my career at Delaware and the two tracks are fairly similar,” he said. “We run the same gear and the setups are pretty close. There are a few differences between the two (tracks), but I feel comfortable there.”

The relatively flat egg-shaped oval at CTMP creates some setup problems for race teams, but Mathews enjoys competing there.

“I like that track,” he stated. “It can be a little tricky, but everyone knows it well and will be ready for the race. I don’t expect anyone to be surprised.”

The stakes for the Clarington 200 were raised last week with Canadian Tire Motorsport Park’s announcement that they will cease operation of the oval track later this summer to continue the ongoing renovation of the facility by the new ownership group that came onboard in 2011.

“I absolutely would love to win the last Canadian Tire Series race there,” declared Mathews.

Race: Clarington 200

Place: Speedway at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

Date: Saturday, June 22

Time: 7 p.m. ET

TV Schedule: TSN, Sun., June 30, 1 p.m. ET; RDS2, Fri., July 9, 11 p.m. ET

Track Layout: Half-mile paved oval

2012 Winner: D.J. Kennington

2012 Pole Sitter: Pete Shepherd III

Event Schedule: Practice 1-1:30 p.m.; Final Practice 2-2:30 p.m.; Qualifying 5:10 p.m.; Driver Autograph Session 5:45 p.m..; Opening Ceremonies 6:30 p.m.

Track Contact: Ryan Chalmers, (905) 983-9141, ryan@ctmpark.com

Track Twitter: @CTMPOfficial

Event Twitter Hashtag: #Clarington200

NASCAR IMC Contact: Jason Christley, (386) 547-2469 or jchristley@nascar.com, Twitter: @jay_christley

FAST FACTS

The Race: This is the third event of the 2013 season for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 and the second of eight oval-track events on the schedule. This is the series’ seventh time to the oval at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

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 200 laps covering 100 miles.

The Track: The Speedway at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, formerly known as Mosport Speedway, is part of Canada’s largest motorsports complex. The 750-acre, multi-track facility is located within the Greater Toronto Area, north of Bowmanville, Ont. CTMP also features the 2.459-mile road course, a 2.4-kilometer advanced driver and race driver training facility and a 1.4-kilometer karting track. The facility opened in 1961 and has hosted stock car, Formula 1 and IndyCar events over the years. Canadian Tire acquired the naming rights to the facility earlier this year.

The Records: The single-lap qualifying record is held by Pete Shepherd III of 21.517 seconds (83.655 mph) was set on June 16, 2012. The 200-lap race record was established on May 28, 2011 by Scott Steckly at 1 hour, 30 minutes, 21 seconds for an average speed of 66.740 mph.

RACE NOTES

So Long: The Clarington 200 will be the final NASCAR Canadian Tire Series event on the half-mile oval at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. The management team for the venue announced earlier this month that it will be closing the oval track to make way for an expanded driver development course. The track has hosted a race every year since the series’ inception in 2007. The Canadian Tire Series will continue to visit the 2.459-mile road course and looks forward to the Sept. 1 shared date with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on the iconic road circuit.

Big Night: Scott Steckly needs a solid performance in the Clarington 200. Two events into the 2013 campaign finds the two-time series champion down 36 points in the standings to leader D.J. Kennington. Steckly finished 24th in the season opener after an early-race crash and 21st at Delaware Speedway due to mechanical problems.

Same, But Different: It’s certainly not new to see Kennington atop the season standings, but he got there without the benefit of a victory. A season ago, Kennington established a series record with seven wins. Consistency has been the name of the game so far for the defending champion with a pair of fourth-place efforts with just two of 12 races in the books.

Equal Opportunity: After six Canadian Tire Series events each of the three series manufacturers – Chevrolet, Dodge and Ford – have been to Victory Lane twice. Don Thomson Jr. took Chevy in 2007 and 2010. Kerry Micks (2008) and Andrew Ranger (2009) drove Fords to the win. And Steckly (2011) and Kennington (2012) took Dodge to the winner’s circle in each of the last two years.

LAST TIME OUT: EMCO 200

Good Numbers: With his victory at Delaware Speedway Pete Shepherd III has four wins in his last 13 Canadian Tire Series outings dating back to his first triumph in the 2010 season finale at Kawartha Speedway.

Rolling Along: With a sixth-place finish at Delaware, 20-year-old Noel Dowler continued his progression and maturation as a stock-car driver. The second-generation driver out of Sherwood Park, Alberta has top-10 finishes in four of his last five starts.

High-Water Marks: At Delaware Speedway, Larry Jackson, Hugo Vannini and Dave Connelly each established new marks for best finish in a Canadian Tire Series event. Jackson finished seventh followed by Vannini and Connelly in eighth and ninth, respectively. It was the first career top 10 for Vannini.

Growing Pains: Alex Guenette has been impressive in his first two series events. In the season opener on the road course at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park the 17-year-old grabbed attention with solid practice and qualifying speeds, but an engine problem derailed his chances in the race. In the EMCO 200, the youngster spent several laps in the lead pack, but a Lap 158 accident brought another early departure.

NEXT TIME OUT: Jiffy Lube 100 presented by Snap-on

The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 makes the first of its three journeys to Quebec this season for the Jiffy Lube 100 presented by Snap-on on July 6-7 at Circuit ICAR in Mirabel. The date is also the second of four road-course events on the 2013 slate. Last season, Andrew Ranger flexed his road-course muscle to claim the victory.

NEW CASTLE, Ind.— June 17, 2013— Indiana Midget Week has always been pretty good to Tracy Hines. After all, he’s a two-time champion of the mini-series in his home state and has won races during the Midget Week in the past. More times than not during Indiana Midget Week, which is sanctioned by the Honda USAC National Midget Series, Hines has finished among the top-10 and that was the case again this year, as he recorded three top-10 finishes in five starts, with two of those being top-five performances aboard the Parker Machinery/Powered by Toyota Spike.

Hines earned his best finish of Indiana Midget Week in the opener at Gas City I-69 Speedway on Wednesday, June 12, coming home second. The native of New Castle, Ind., took the lead on the second lap and would take the white flag out front, when Kyle Larson got a run on the top side of the track and edged him at the line. Hines opened the night as the sixth-fastest qualifier of the 38 drivers on-hand. He finished third in the second heat race to transfer to the 30-lap A-Feature.

“We just got beat, there’s no other way to put it,” said Hines. “I hadn’t seen anyone’s nose, so I kept running my line. By the time I saw him (Kyle Larson) we were coming to the checkered flag. It’s always tough when one slips away late, especially on the last lap. We gave it everything we had and just came up a little short That’s racing.”

The second round of the five race mini-series took Hines and his fellow competitors to Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville on Thursday, June 13. He would finish fourth to earn his second straight top-five finish to start the week. Hines timed in third-quickest in qualifying with a week-high 45 drivers in attendance. Following a fifth-place run in the third heat race, Hines found himself in the B-main, where he finished second to qualify for the 30-lap main event.

“We don’t race a midget at Putnamville (Lincoln Park Speedway) very often, so you have to really keep up with the track throughout the night,” he explained. “We had a pretty good car in the feature and finishing in the top-five again showed what we are capable of with our dirt midget program.”

Hines ran into trouble during the main event at Bloomington Speedway on Friday, June 14, finishing in the 20th spot, and ending a string of 25 consecutive top-10 finishes during Indiana Midget Week dating back to 2008. At Bloomington, the veteran driver was seventh in time trials and was third in the third heat race to punch his ticket to the A-Feature.

The two-time Indiana Midget Week champion rebounded at Lawrenceburg Speedway on Saturday, June 15, with a 10th-place finish. Hines began the night 22nd in qualifying and finished seventh in the second heat race, which put him in the B-main. He would finish fifth in the B-main to earn a spot in the main event at the high-banked, three-eighths-mile.

Hines concluded the ninth edition of Indiana Midget Week on Sunday, June 16 at Kokomo Speedway. He opened the night by qualifying 14th, with a field of 38 cars assembled. A sixth-place finish in the second heat race sent him to the B-main, where he came home fifth to earn a spot in the 30-lap main event. He lined up 14th for the A-Feature, and ended up 23rd, following a lap-18 spin.

“It was definitely not how we wanted to end the week,” said Hines. “We have another midget race on the dirt next weekend, so we’ll get the car ready this week and be geared up for that one. The races we qualified well for, we ran up front at, so just like with the sprint car, qualifying is key right now. It’s hard to come from the B-main and be in contention every night.”

Following Indiana Midget Week, Hines sits ninth in the Honda USAC National Midget Series Dirt Championship standings. The next race for the series is June 23 at Angell Park Speedway in Wisconsin. Prior to that event, Hines will make two starts with the USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series at the Terre Haute Action Track in Indiana on June 21 and I-96 Speedway in Michigan on June 22.

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.

Race Notes:

• The Iowa Corn Indy 250 will be the seventh IZOD IndyCar Series event at Iowa Speedway. Past winners entered are Ryan Hunter-Reay (2012), Marco Andretti (2011), Tony Kanaan (2010) and Dario Franchitti (2007 and 2009).

• Andretti Autosport has won four of the six races at Iowa Speedway, including the last three (Kanaan 2010, Andretti 2011 and Hunter-Reay 2012). Target Chip Ganassi Racing has two wins (Dan Wheldon 2008 and Franchitti 2009).

• Team Penske has never won at Iowa Speedway, but has won two poles at the track, most recently with Will Power in 2010. 

• Scott Dixon has started third or better in four of his six starts at Iowa. Dixon has six top-10 finishes at Iowa, but has never finished better than third.

• Tony Kanaan has finished on the podium in the last three races at Iowa Speedway after failing to finish better than 15th in his first three starts.

• Marco Andretti has finished on the podium in four of his six starts at Iowa Speedway.

• Ryan Hunter-Reay and Dario Franchitti are the only drivers to win at Iowa Speedway and win the IZOD IndyCar Series championship in the same season. Hunter-Reay accomplished the feat in 2012 and Franchitti accomplished the feat in 2007 and 2009.

• No driver has won the IZOD IndyCar Series race at Iowa Speedway from the pole.

• Four drivers have competed in every IZOD IndyCar Series race at Iowa – Marco Andretti, Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan.

Season to Date:

• James Hinchcliffe won the season-opening Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. It was the first win of his Indy car career. He was the 207th driver to win an Indy car race.

• Will Power won his 30th career Indy car pole at St. Petersburg. 

• Tristan Vautier started his first career IZOD IndyCar Series race at St. Petersburg.

• Ryan Hunter-Reay won his 10th Indy car race in the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park from the pole position. It was the second time he had won a race from pole.

• Takuma Sato won his first Indy car race in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. He was the 208th driver to win an Indy car race and first Japanese driver to win. It was A.J. Foyt’s first win as a car owner since 2002. 

• Dario Franchitti won his 30th career Indy car pole at Long Beach.

• James Hinchcliffe won the Itaipava Sao Paulo Indy 300 with a last-lap, last-turn pass of Takuma Sato. It was his second win of 2013 and the third win in four races for Andretti Autosport.

• Ed Carpenter won his first pole position since 2010 at Kentucky when he won the pole for the 97th Indianapolis 500.

• Tony Kanaan won the 97th Indianapolis 500 to record his 16th Indy car victory.

• Mike Conway and Simon Pagenaud split the wins in the Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit. It was Conway’s second Indy car win and Pagenaud’s first Indy car victory.

• Will Power won his 31st career Indy car pole at Texas. 

• Helio Castroneves won his 28th Indy car race in the Firestone 550 at Texas Motor Speedway.

• Marco Andretti won his first pole position of 2013 at Milwaukee. It was his third career pole and second at Milwaukee.

• Ryan Hunter-Reay won Milwaukee IndyFest for the second consecutive year. It was Hunter-Reay’s second win of 2013 and the fourth for Andretti Autosport in 2013.

• There were a race-record 14 leaders and race-record 68 lead changes at Indianapolis. 

Milestones & Records:

• Should Dario Franchitti win the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series championship, he will join A.J. Foyt as the only drivers to win at least five Indy car titles in their career. Franchitti won the title in 2007 and again from 2009-2011. Foyt won seven championships in his career.

• With their next victory, either Dario Franchitti or Sebastien Bourdais will move into sole possession of seventh place on the all-time wins list. Franchitti and Bourdais are tied with Paul Tracy with 31 wins.

• With a victory in 2013, Scott Dixon will extend his streak of consecutive seasons with a win to nine.

• With his next victory, Scott Dixon will move into sole possession of ninth place on the all-time wins list. Dixon won his 29th race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Aug. 5, 2012, to tie Rick Mears for 10th place on the all-time wins list.

• Helio Castroneves moved into sole possession of 11th place on the all-time wins list with his win at Texas Motor Speedway on June 8. Castroneves had been tied with Johnny Rutherford for 12th with the victory.

• Helio Castroneves needs three earned poles to reach 40 career poles in his Indy car career.

• Will Power recorded the 30th pole of his Indy car career at St. Petersburg and his 31st pole position at Texas.

• Dario Franchitti recorded the 30th pole of his Indy car career at Long Beach and his 31st pole position at Detroit 1.

• Scott Dixon needs two earned poles to reach 20 in his Indy car career.

• With one pole in 2013, Scott Dixon will extend his IZOD IndyCar Series streak to seven consecutive seasons.

• Scott Dixon’s second-place finish at Barber was the 30th of his Indy car career. It tied Helio Castroneves, A.J. Foyt, Al Unser Jr., and Bobby Unser for fifth on the all-time list.

• Helio Castroneves recorded his 110th top-five finish at Milwaukee to take sole possession of 10th on the all-time list. Castroneves broke a tie with Tony Kanaan.

• Scott Dixon recorded the 100th top-five finish of his Indy car career at Barber Motorsports Park. With a pair of top-five finishes at Detroit, Dixon tied Paul Tracy for 12th on the all-time list.

• Tony Kanaan will attempt to make his 206th consecutive start. Jimmy Vasser holds the all-time record of 211. Scott Dixon with 147 straight starts (7th all-time) and Marco Andretti with 123 straight starts (15th all-time)  are the only other active drivers with a streak of more than 100 consecutive starts.

• Ryan Hunter-Reay needs two starts to mark his 100th consecutive IZOD IndyCar Series starts.

At-Track Schedule (all times local):

Saturday, June 22

10:45 a.m. – Noon – IZOD IndyCar Series practice 

3-3:45 p.m. – IZOD IndyCar Series qualifying (single car/single lap to set heat race fields)

5:45 – 7:15 p.m. – IZOD IndyCar Series qualifying races for Verizon P1 Award. (3 Heats/50 laps), indycar.com and INDYCAR 13 App. (Live Streaming).

Sunday, June 23

10-10:05 a.m. – IZOD IndyCar Series systems check

1:30 p.m. – Iowa Corn Indy 250 pre-race

2:05 p.m. – Iowa Corn Indy 250 (250 laps/218.75 miles), ABC (Live)

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

1. Milwaukee technical penalty update 

2. IndyCar.com to carry coverage of Iowa Heat Races

3. Wilson helps unveil Toronto trophies

1. Milwaukee technical penalty update: There were no technical penalties issued following the IZOD IndyCar Series race on the Milwaukee Mile on June 15.

2. IndyCar.com to carry coverage of Iowa Heat Races: Streaming video of the three 50-lap heat races to determine the starting lineup for the Iowa Corn Indy 250 presented by DEKALB will be broadcast on www.indycar.com and the INDYCAR 13 app at 6:45 p.m. (ET) June 22.

Video will be augmented by the IMS Radio Network broadcast and real-time Timing & Scoring.

The first two heat races include transfers to Race 3 for the top two finishers of the qualifying races.

Positions in the three heat races will be determined by single-car, single-lap qualifying (4 p.m. ET) on the .875-mile, variably-banked oval. A blind draw will determine the qualifying order. Practice  (11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. ET) and qualifying also are featured on indycar.com and INDYCAR 13 with Timing & Scoring and the IMS Radio Network call.

The format, which adds the lure of bonus points – from nine points for the Verizon P1 Award winner and descending by one point each position to one point for 11th and 12th:

Race 1 — Will consist of the even-numbered positions, starting with position 8 from single-car qualifying. The results of Race 1 shall determine the even-numbered positions in the starting field, starting with position 12. The top two finishers will transfer to Race 3 and start in positions 8 and 10.

Race 2 — Will consist of the odd-numbered positions, starting with position 7 from single-car qualifying. The results of Race 2 shall determine the odd-numbered positions in the starting field, starting with position 11. The top two finishers will transfer to Race 3 and start in positions 7 and 9.

Race 3 — Will consist of positions 1 through 6 from single-car qualifying plus the first- and second-place finishers from Races 1 and 2 to determine the pole winner and the first five rows of the starting grid.

3. Wilson helps unveil Toronto trophies: After a grueling race in Milwaukee, Justin Wilson enjoyed a cup of tea in Toronto on June 17 while helping unveil the Waterford Crystal trophies for the Honda Indy Toronto on July 13-14.

The trophies were commissioned by William Ashley, whose flagship store on fashionable Bloor Street showcases a window display in which each tire of an Indy car is supported by a Wedgewood tea cup.

Wilson, who won the 2005 race at Exhibition Place and started third last July, is looking forward to the second IZOD IndyCar Series doubleheader weekend.

“We’re a slightly smaller team but our cars have been fast,” said Wilson of Dale Coyne Racing. “At Detroit, my teammate (Mike Conway) won one of the races and I finished third. He placed third in the second race, and hopefully that’s going to translate here.

“It’s so even right now (among the competitors) that you go into every weekend thinking ‘I can win this race. We come here and get everything right we can win.’ It’s a lot of pressure at the same time. All 24, 25 cars will be covered by less than a second, so that’s pretty intense. The competition level right now is really high, so to get pole position you have to do a really good lap, the car has to be just perfect. If you’re off two-tenths, you’ll be starting 10th.”

Construction of the 11-turn, 1.755-mile circuit at Exhibition Place is well underway for the twin 85-lap races that carry full points and prize money.

“We train hard in the preseason and during the season, trying to keep that fitness level up so you can do the job in the car,” Wilson said. “On top to that, eating right by having the proper carbohydrates, proteins and fluids to help your body recover. You want to compete on the same level on day two as you did on day one. We found in Detroit that a lot of people were more aggressive on day 2 as emotions went up, and I think that could be the same in Toronto.”

***

The next IZOD IndyCar Series race is the Iowa Corn Indy 250 presented by DEKALB on June 23 at Iowa Speedway. The race will be televised live at 2:30 p.m. (ET) 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 Sukup 100 at 7:45 p.m. (ET) on June 22 at Iowa Speedway. The race will be televised by NBC Sports Network at 11 p.m. (ET) on June 28. 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 18, 2013) – The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 makes its final visit to the Speedway at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario on Saturday, June 22. The Clarington 200 is scheduled to take the green flag at 7 p.m. ET. Below is a statistical look at the recent performance of selected drivers at Delaware, as well as some other statistical trends:

CTMP Speedway Race Setup

·         This is the final NASCAR Canadian Tire Series event at the track as track management recently announced that it will cease operation at the oval track later this summer to continue the extensive renovation of the facility and road-course circuit over the past couple years.

·         D.J. Kennington is the defending race champion and leads active drivers with 260 laps led on the half-mile oval at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

·         Scott Steckly, who has three top-10 finishes in six starts on the CTMP oval including a win in 2011, is coming off a pair of sub-par performances to start the 2013 season.

·         Ron Beauchamp Jr. has a streak of four straight top-10 finishes at the Bowmanville oval.

·         Jason Hathaway has scored a top 10 in five of his six outings on the CTMP half-mile track.

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series At The Speedway At Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

·         This is the series’ seventh and final visit to the Ontario half-mile oval.

·         Chevrolet, Dodge and Ford each have two wins. Don Thomson Jr. took Chevy in 2007 and 2010. Kerry Micks (2008) and Andrew Ranger (2009) drove Fords to the win. And Steckly (2011) and Kennington (2012) took Dodge to the winner’s circle in each of the last two years.

·         There has been an average of 6.83 caution periods for an average of 48.67 laps in the six prior races with the earliest coming at Lap 5 in 2007 and the latest at Lap 201 in 2007 during attempts at a green-white-checkered finish.

·         The average starting position of the winner is 4.83, while the polesitter has an average finish of 9.5.

·         The highest number of cautions in the previous five events is 10 in 2010 while the fewest is five accomplished three times (2009, 2011 and 2012).

·         The most laps led by a race winner are 181 by Don Thomson Jr. in 2007 and the fewest is two by Kerry Micks in 2008.

·         The Clarington 200 has been run in August four times and once in May and June

·         There has been an average of 6.17 lead changes in the previous six events.

·         Two – 2007 and 2011 – of the six events have gone beyond the 200-lap advertised distance, but four of the last five races ended at the scheduled 200-lap mark.

·         The race’s television premieres are scheduled for Sunday, June 30 at 1 p.m. ET on TSN and Friday, July 9 at 11 p.m. ET on RDS2.

CTMP Speedway Data

Race: #3 of 12 (6/22/13)

Track Layout: Half-mile paved oval

Race Length: 200 laps (100 miles)

Records

1-Lap Qualifying: Pete Shepherd III, Dodge, 21.517 seconds, 83.655 mph, June 16, 2012

200-Lap Race: Scott Steckly, Dodge, 1 hr., 30 min., 21 sec., 66.740 mph, May 28, 2011

Race Winners

Don Thomson Jr. …………………………. 2

D.J. Kennington ………………………….. 1

Kerry Micks ………………………………… 1

Andrew Ranger ……………………………. 1

Scott Steckly ……………………………… 1

Pole Winners

J.R. Fitzpatrick ……………………………. 2

D.J. Kennington ………………………….. 1

Pete Shepherd III …………………………. 1

Don Thomson Jr. …………………………. 1

Manufacturer Wins

Chevrolet …………………………………… 2

Dodge……………………………………….. 2

Ford …………………………………………. 2

Laps Led

Don Thomson Jr. ……………………… 311

D.J. Kennington ……………………….. 260

Scott Steckly …………………………… 248

Selected Driver Information:

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

·         Finished eighth last season in the Clarington 200.

·         Scored a career-best CTMP oval finish of fourth in 2009 and 2010.

·         Has four consecutive top-10 finishes in six starts at the Ontario oval.

·         One of four drivers to start all 77 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races.

Mark Dilley (No. 02 Leland/Beyond Digital Imaging/Dickies Ford)

·         Was the runner-up a year ago on the CTMP speedway.

·         Also finished second in 2007 and 2008.

·         Has led 72 laps in his series career on the Bowmanville half-mile track.

·         Has posted top-10 finishes in three of his last five series starts dating back to last season.

·         Has three career series wins with the last on Sept. 10, 2011 at Barrie Speedway.

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

·         Finished 10th last season in the Clarington 200 in his only start at the track.

·         Has scored a top 10 in four of his last five series starts dating back to last season.

·         Posted a third-place finish last season at Barrie (Ontario) Speedway for his first series top five.

L.P. Dumoulin (No. 47 WeatherTech Canada/Bellemare Dodge)

·         Scored a 12th-place finish in his CTMP oval debut last season.

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

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

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

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

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

·         Finished third last season in the Clarington 200.

·         Best track finish was second in 2010.

·         Has four top-10 finishes in five starts on the oval at CTMP.

·         Has led 33 laps at the Ontario half-mile track.

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

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

·         Finished fifth last year in this event.

·         Scored his best finish of fourth at the track in 2007.

·         Has a top-10 finish in five of his six starts on this Ontario oval.

·         One of four drivers to start all 77 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races.

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

·         Won last year’s Clarington 200 after starting fifth.

·         Finished third in the 2008 and 2009 events on the CTMP oval.

·         Worst finish in six starts at the track is 10th in 2007.

·         Leads active drivers with 260 laps led on the flat half-mile track.

·         Tops the all-time Canadian Tire Series wins list with 18.

·         Won 2010 and 2012 series championships.

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

·         One of four drivers to start all 77 NCATS races.

Jeff Lapcevich (No. 76 Tim Hortons Dodge)

·         Scored a career track-best finish of fourth last season.

·         Has a pair of top-10 performances in four starts on the Bowmanville oval.

·         Has posted a top-10 finish in 10 of his last 14 series starts dating back to the 2011 season.

·         Changed car number to 76 from 23 to honor the passing of his father, Joe, earlier this year.

Steve Mathews (No. 15 Bill Mathews Motors Ford)

·         Finished sixth last year in the Clarington 200.

·         Has top 10s in three of his four starts on the CTMP speedway.

·         Has two series career pole wins – Kawartha (2011) and Barrie (2012).

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

·         Registered a 19th-place finish in last year’s Clarington 200 in his only start at the track

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

Pete Shepherd III (No. 7 National Exhaust/Diamond Material Handling Dodge)

·         Ended up in 16th last season due to a broken axle after starting from the pole position.

·         Finishes second in 2011 and fifth in 2010 at the CTMP speedway.

·         Has led 117 laps at the track in three starts.

·         Picked up his fourth career victory on June 15 at Delaware Speedway.

·         Has top-five finishes in his last four Canadian Tire Series starts dating back to last season.

Scott Steckly (No. 22 Canadian Tire/Johnsonville Dodge)

·         Finished 14th in last year’s Clarington 200.

·         Won the 2011 event on the oval at CTMP and finished second in 2009.

·         Has led 248 laps in six starts at the track.

·         His 11 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series victories rank third on the all-time list.

·         Won 2008 and 2011 series championships.

·         One of four drivers to start all 77 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races.

Jason White (No. 21 Bowers & Wilkins Dodge)

·         Finished 11th in last year’s Clarington 200; his best finish in five trips to the CTMP oval.

·         Was 2008 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Rookie of the Year.

WATERTOWN, Conn.—June 19, 2013— Entering this season, there were two bullrings that David Gravel had heard about for years and had not yet had an opportunity to race at. One was Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, Calif., which he had a chance to race at earlier this season. The second — River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D. Running full-time with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series this season, the native of Watertown, Conn., gets to compete twice at the always racy high-banked, three-tenths-mile, with the first of those being this weekend, followed by a trip to Minnesota for the second consecutive weekend.

Gravel will make his debut at River Cities Speedway aboard the FMR Racing/JRC Transportation/Musco Fuel Model Craft J&J under the Bill Rose Racing banner, on Friday, June 21 for the first round of the Gerdau Ameristeel Northern Tour. The inaugural World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series event at I-94 Speedway in Fergus Falls, Minn., will take to the track on Saturday, June 22.

“Last weekend we were on two bigger tracks where horsepower was very important and we qualified well both nights,” said Gravel. “This weekend we race on two smaller tracks where the engine is not as important as getting the handling and the car right. The engine we put in last weekend was fast right out of the box, so hopefully we can duplicate that in time trials this weekend.”

Gravel made one start in the state of North Dakota last season with the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions during the tour’s annual Thunder Through the Plains mini-series. He finished seventh in that race at Red River Valley Speedway in Fargo, after running as high as second, before contact led to a spin that knocked the nose wing off the car. After a trip to the work area he rejoined the field and charged from the back of the back to earn the top-10 finish.

“Everyone seems to love River Cities (Speedway) and it’s very racy from what I hear,” said Gravel. “Hopefully I can adapt to it quick and get accustomed to it. We had some good runs in California on the smaller tracks earlier in the season, so that always helps going to similar tracks knowing you can run up front. Our goal is to qualify up front and get in the dash and give ourselves a chance.”

The East Coast racer has competed on a handful of high-banked bullrings this year, finishing a season-best second at Tri-State Speedway in Indiana, in April. He ran fourth at Thunderbowl Raceway in California in March and was sixth at Silver Dollar Speedway, after running as high as second in that race.

Gravel’s first trip to I-94 Speedway will mark his third start in Minnesota this year. He raced at Elko Speedway last month and Jackson Speedway last weekend. I-94 Speedway is a high-banked, three-eighths-mile and Gravel has a best finish of fourth at El Paso Speedway Park on a track that size in 2013.

“Not too many people know much about I-94 (Speedway), so that will level the playing field a bit,” he noted. “We’ve gone to a lot of new tracks this year and it’s something you get used to. I really enjoy racing at new places, because you learn at them and that’s how you get better, which is the ultimate goal.”

Heading into action this weekend, Gravel is seventh in the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series championship standings. He has recorded 13 top-10 finishes in 2013, with four of those being top-five performances. He and his team have spent the week at crew chief Tyler Swank’s shop in Iowa preparing for the pair of races.

“It’s been nice having a little extra time during the week the last two weeks to get some of the little things done,” he noted. “You can really pay attention to detail when you have time and we’ve gotten some caught up on some things. When you have a bit of time off out here, you really have to take advantage of it and make the most of it.”

Keep up-to-date with David Gravel and DDR Motorsports by visiting www.DavidGravel89.com. Follow David on Twitter @davidgravel89g and like David on Facebook.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind.— June 19, 2013— Ever since he made his first start at River Cities Speedway in North Dakota, 13 years ago, Kraig Kinser has always enjoyed racing at the ultra high-banked bullring. Throughout his career, he also has taken a liking to racing at tracks he’s never been to before. He’ll get to indulge in both this weekend as the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series makes their first of two stops in 2013 at River Cities Speedway, along with paying their first-ever visit at I-94 Speedway in Minnesota.

Kinser, who pilots the Casey’s General Store/Mesilla Valley Transportation Maxim, will take to the track at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D., on Friday June 21 for the first round of the 2013 Gerdau Ameristeel Northern Tour. The series then heads to I-94 Speedway in Fergus Falls, Minn., on Saturday, June 22.

Kinser was victorious from the 10th starting position at River Cities Speedway last season on June 15, taking the leader from his father Steve with seven laps remaining. He opened the night as the fourth-fastest qualifier of the 37 drivers that were in attendance. The third-generation driver lined up third in the fourth 10-lap heat race and finished fifth in that contest to earn a spot in the dash. He started the dash in 10th and finished in that same position to earn a starting spot on the outside of the fifth row in the 40-lap main event. In the World of Outlaws return to River Cities Speedway in August, Kinser finished 16th.

“Grand Forks (River Cities Speedway) is definitely one of the most exciting tracks on the schedule,” said Kinser. “We had a great car in the feature last year to win from 10th there. You are in traffic in a hurry there and you have to be able to move around and go where cars aren’t and pick your way through. A lot happens in the driver’s seat and you really have to be sharp and stay on top of everything.”

Kinser made his debut at River Cities Speedway in 2000, with the former Gumout Series finishing fourth and fifth in two starts. In four Gumout Series starts at the track, Kinser finished in the top-five each and every time. With the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series, the third-generation driver has made 10 starts, recording five top-10 finishes in the process.

The World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series will be making their debut at I-94 Speedway, which will mark the second track the series has visited for the first time in the state of Minnesota this season. Kinser came home 15th in the World of Outlaws maiden voyage to Elko Speedway last month, and was 16th at Jackson Speedway last weekend. In his career, Kinser has three wins when racing at a track for the first time with the series, including winning in Minnesota in 2008 at North Central Speedway in Brainerd.

“With just about everyone going to I-94 for the first time, that should equalize things a bit,” he noted. “I always try when I go to a new place to compare it to somewhere I’ve been in the past. Walking around the track in the afternoon always helps and then really watching the track during hot laps if you can before climbing in the car.”

Kinser enters the pair of events at River Cities Speedway and I-94 Speedway 12th the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series championship standings. He has one win this season, along with 14 top-10 finishes with four of those being top-five showings.

“The key right now is qualifying,” Kinser stated. “We struggled again last weekend qualifying and to give ourselves a shot, we have to make it in the heat race inversion. At a place like Grand Forks (River Cities Speedway), you can make up ground starting further back, but it always helps to start up front and at I-94 (Speedway) track position will probably be very important as well.”

Kraig Kinser Racing would like to thank Casey’s General Stores, Mesilla Valley Transportation, 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: River Cities Speedway & I-94 Speedway
0.3- Miles around River Cities Speedway
0.375- Distance around I-94 Speedway in miles
2- Races at River Cities Speedway in 2013 for the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series
3- Nights of racing in North Dakota this season for the World of Outlaws
4- Nights of racing in the state of Minnesota this season for the series
7- Laps led last season en route to winning at River Cities Speedway on June 15
10- Career main event starts with the World of Outlaws at River Cities Speedway
10.9- Average finish in 10 main event starts with the series at River Cities
14- Total starts in his career at River Cities Speedway
33- Nights of racing completed in 2013 by the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series
140- Miles from River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D., where the World of Outlaws race on June 21 to I-94 Speedway in Fergus Falls, Minn.
593- Miles from Knoxville Raceway in Iowa, where the World of Outlaws raced on June 15 to River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D.
2000- Year of first start at River Cities Speedway with the former World of Outlaws Gumout Series
3959- Points earned this season through June 15
49,680- Dollars earned this season

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.

WATERTOWN, Conn.—June 16, 2013— When committing to run full-time with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series this season, David Gravel knew he’d only have a couple of chances to tune-up for the Knoxville Nationals at the famed Knoxville Raceway in Iowa. The East Coast racer has made the most of his two starts in 2013 at the legendary half-mile with the series, as he finished seventh on Saturday, June 15 in the Mediacom Shootout, and also charged through the field to gain 14 spots last month at Knoxville en route to an 11th-place showing.

Gravel took advantage of a late-race restart on Saturday night to gain eight spots over the final six circuits to record his best Knoxville finish of 2013 aboard the FMR Racing/JRC Transportation/Musco Fuel/Model Craft J&J, under the Bill Rose Racing banner. He lined up 11th in the 25-lap main event and after falling back a few spots in the early going, methodically worked his way back forward, mainly during the second half of the race.

On the final restart, on lap-19, Gravel lined up 15th and gained three spots at the drop of the green flag. Just a couple of laps later he broke into the top-10 for the first time on the night. Over the last couple of laps, Gravel would work his way past three more drivers to come home seventh.

“The car really came on late in the race and we were able to make up quite a bit of ground,” said Gravel. “I got the wing back and that really made a difference. To have had two solid runs at Knoxville definitely boosts our confidence for when we go back in August for the Nationals. Laps at Knoxville are so important and we’ve been able to make the most of our two starts there this year.”

The night began for Gravel by turning the fifth-fastest lap in time trials of the 40 cars that took to the track for qualifying. This placed him in the fourth starting spot in the third eight-lap heat race. He would finish fourth in the heat to transfer to the main event. The A-Feature was slowed by two yellow flags and a red flag period. Following rain showers earlier in the evening, the race program was delayed a couple of hours, but completed in its entirety.

Gravel kicked-off the weekend at Jackson Speedway in Minnesota for the Big Game Treestands Shootout Presented by Eyecon Trail Cameras. Making just the second start of his career at the historic half-mile, Gravel finished 17th. He started the night by recording the fifth-quickest lap in time trials of the 34 entrants. A sixth-place finish in the first heat race sent him to the B-main, which he won to earn a spot in the 25-lap main event.

“The night didn’t quite end how we were hoping, but we were fast in time trials,” he shared. “Everything was in hurry-up mode due to the weather, so we didn’t have a lot of time to really work on the car after the B-main. Weather-wise we’ve been pretty fortunate the last few weekends to get the complete show in when weather has been all around the track.”

Gravel, who is currently seventh in the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series championship standings on the strength of 13 top-10 finishes, returns to action next weekend at River Cities Speedway in North Dakota and I-94 Speedway in Minnesota.

“We put a new engine for the big tracks and to qualify in the top-five both nights was great, especially with the caliber of cars that were at Jackson and Knoxville,” Gravel stated. “We are working hard to get back to where we were in time trials last year, when we set a bunch of quick times and were in the top-five and top-10 more times than not. With the World of Outlaws format, qualifying in the right spot can really make your night or make for a long night. I feel like we have a pretty good qualifying package on the big tracks right now and hopefully we can carry that to the smaller tracks next weekend.”

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