Category: Other Series PR

[media-credit name=”barriespeedway.com” align=”alignright” width=”301″][/media-credit]After nearly a full month off, round two of the OSCAAR Super Late Models series is set to go at Barrie Speedway this Saturday night. Drivers have been eagerly waiting to get back at the track after rain washed away racing at Kawartha Speedway on Friday June 1. The layoff since May 20 has allowed drivers some extra time to prepare for the second event of the year which should see a handful of new faces take the green flag. An impressive field of 23 drivers took the green flag at Sunset Speedway, yet all will be looking to improve when the Supers invade Barrie for the first time since 2007.

Sunset winner Brandon Watson (#9 Shear Metal/Royal Distributing/Barrie Frame & Alignment/ Knightworks Design Chevrolet) would like to better his result – or at least the way it was achieved. The Stayner, ON native was deemed the winner after George Wilson (#77 Port City Racecars/Morollo Racing Engines/ Union Cab Ford Fusion) failed post-race technical inspection inspection. The win was Watson’s second-career victory in an OSCAAR Super Late Model, but the teenager is still looking for that second victory lane photo. If the talent-laden OSCAAR field isn’t challenge enough for Watson, Saturday night’s race is sandwiched between a pair of Late Model invitational races at Kawartha and Sunset Speedways on Friday and Sunday, respectively.

George Wilson will look to put up some points in the standings after receiving the bad news following his dominating performance at Sunset. The ‘Steel City Outlaw’ has acknowledged his mistake and assurd it will not happen again. The multi-time champion at Laird Int’l Raceway and Kinross Speedway Park in an Outlaw Super Late Model is poised to show that he is willing to fight back. After all, the native of Sault Ste. Marie ON doesn’t make the over 1000km round trip to Barrie Speedway to finish second.

Defending champion Glenn Watson (#22 Rival Office Solutions/Race2way.ca/ Top Shops/ Klotz Fuels Chevrolet) sits in unfamiliar waters in the 11th position in OSCAAR points. Watson has not been outside the top-ten in four seasons. A crash in to the front stretch wall at Sunset ended Watson’s night with a 16th place finish and, if not for a pair of heat race wins earlier in the night, it could be a lot worse for the driver of the #22. He will look to return with vengeance at his former home track of Barrie Speedway and get back on top of the pile.

Mike Beyore’s (#54 Stemac/Millenium Crane/Metals Plus/ CNC Custom Machining/MGS Custom Tune Cadillac) return performance after his year absence in 2011 was a strong one as the veteran finished in sixth. A calm and collected Beyore is seeing success from his new attitude and hopes the luck will propel him in to the top-five at Barrie.

Derrick Tiemersma (#7 Wayfreight/Spira Chevrolet) was impressive in the revival of his OSCAAR career following a podium third-place finish at Sunset. The Newmarket, ON native has been using the off-time to improve a very-quick car in hopes of getting to victory lane for the first time since August 14 of 2010 at Mosport Speedway.

The race for the rookie-of-the-year title appears as though it will be as close as ever. Three rookies, Jesse Kennedy (#10 Bev’s Auto Repair/GRE/ Cameron Crane & Riggers/ Quality Collision Chevrolet), Paul Law (#72 Midas/Ron Little Trucking/Hawk Shop of Orangeville Chevrolet), and Rob Poole (#45 VisserFarms/RA Electrical/Alliston Auto Sales Chevrolet) finished the opening race in the top-ten. Kennedy and Law finished fourth and fifth respectively, while Poole finished ninth despite running in the top-five most of the night. With a new points system, the rookie standings will be closer than ever. Look for Law and Poole to try and jump ahead of Kennedy on Saturday night.

In addition to the OSCAAR Super Late Models, the OSCAAR Modifieds will be in action at Barrie Speedway on Saturday night to accompany Barrie’s weekly Limited Late Models division. Pit gates open at 3pm for all divisions, with the grandstand opening at 5pm and the first green flag at 7pm. The first Super Late Model race at Barrie since 2007 and the first-ever modified event at Barrie since its resurfacing is an event you don’t want to miss.

[media-credit name=”ARCA Racing Network” align=”alignright” width=”175″][/media-credit]Josh Williams Motorsports (JWM) has steadily and rightfully been earning the respect and recognition it deserves on the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards tour. They look to continue that trend as the series’ treks to the Motor City for the running of Friday’s RainEater Wiper Blades 200 at Michigan International Speedway.

On the heels of his second top-10 finish of the season and first ever on a speedway last Saturday afternoon at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, Williams, a native of Port Charlotte, Florida is eager to roll into yet another new track – Michigan International Speedway and produce a strong finish that will help keep the family-owned team on the map and plugging along as the season presses on.

“The Pocono finish did a lot for us,” said 18-year old Josh Williams. “We literally were able to take a new car, thrash it together, take it to Pocono, make some aggressive changes throughout the weekend and bring the team home a run. It was an awesome feeling, because we’re just a small group – trying to make big dreams come true.”

The driver of the No. 02 Southwest Florida Cable Construction Ford Fusion added, “Michigan’s a bigger story this weekend. It’s a huge place, smaller than Pocono, but I think horsepower is going to be key. We’re going to give it our all and we’re bringing the same car that we used at Pocono, because we feel that with the rules change this car will once again help us.”

As for the race on Friday afternoon, Williams admitted he isn’t quite sure what to expect, but he is planning to confer with some of his fellow drivers about what might transpire.

“I’ve heard we (we’re) can either have a real calm or very aggressive race,” Williams sounded. “At Pocono, there were times you saw guys out there by themselves and others just racing the heck out of one another. I think you will see the same on Friday afternoon. That in truth will make it a great spectacle for the fans. Hopefully it will be as fun behind the wheel as I’m expecting it to be.”

Preparing to make a stab at the next three races which include Michigan, Winchester (Ind.) Speedway and New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP), the team is also hoping that their performances can help spark some interest either locally or nationally that will help them carry out the rest of the season.

“We have some stuff here and there, but nothing permanent,” added Williams. “Everyone’s trying, it’s hard out there – but we’re a family first and foremost – so we’ll just keep digging and hashing things together like we did at Pocono last week and if we don’t – we’ll have a good run that will give us some spark to go out there and let someone know that we have a great home for them. I know I wouldn’t be sitting where I am right now if it wasn’t for my parents.”

The team’s effort at Pocono last Saturday vaulted the Concord, North Carolina-based team back into 10th in the ARCA Racing Series championship standings and well within reach of ninth currently held by fellow teenager Jared Marks.

“I think it’s pretty big, even after missing a race that we’re sitting inside the top-10 again,” Williams explained. “My parents are the ones that deserve a lot of the credit and the huge dedication and countless hours by the crew too. We unite as one – one big family and that’s how we plan to stay through the thick and thin the rest of the year.”

The RainEater Wiper Blades 200 (100 laps / 200 miles) is the eighth of 20 events on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 31st ARCA race at Michigan International Speedway is a two-day show. Practice begins Thursday, June 14 with an hour and a half practice session planned from 4:05 p.m. – 5:35 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for race day, Friday, June 15 slated to begin at 10:00 a.m. The event will take the green shortly after 5:00 p.m. The race will be televised live on SPEED. Additional coverage including timing and scoring available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com. All times are local (Eastern).

 

For more information on Josh Williams, his Josh Williams Motorsports team and sponsorship opportunities for the 2012 season please connect to the team’s official website at Joshwracing.com.

[media-credit name=”ARCA Racing Network” align=”alignright” width=”175″][/media-credit]BROOKLYN, Michigan (June 13, 2012) – – Tom Hessert III has always been a fan of Michigan International Speedway (MIS) even if his results haven’t shown it. This weekend as the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards takes on the RainEater Wiper Blades 200, the Cherry Hill, New Jersey native is hoping to change that statistic and deliver his sixth top-10 finish of the year.

After finishing 11th last Saturday afternoon at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, Hessert and his Ken Schrader Racing (KSR) team have literally gone back to the drawing board with the intent to put their No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet Impala back in the lead hunt.

Bound to make his fifth career start at the two-mile oval on Friday afternoon, the 26-year old will look to better his best finish of 15th scored in 2010. And if his strong start to his 2012 season which has included seven starts, three top-fives, five top-10s and no finishes worse than 13th – Hessert’s chances of solidifying through that 15th place finish look very practical.

“I think you’re going to see a very intense race, especially, because 100 laps can go quick at Michigan,” said Hessert. “It’s important that we use practice to dial in our No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet Impala to the best of our capabilities because Michigan does have the opportunity to run off into a long span of green flag racing and if it does – you want to be on the positive side. We weren’t exactly thrilled with our run last Saturday at Pocono, so we’ve made some big swings since then, so I hope it will pay off and we can not only put ourselves back in the top-five but make some gain some points in the championship standings.”

He added, “The same rule packages that we had at Pocono last weekend will apply to Michigan this weekend, so it won’t be surprising that you see new track records being made. Again, the tapered spacer could make it tough but it will be the same for all of us, so only time will tell. The one thing I think you will see is that the track will widen quicker than it did at Pocono and that will be provide good racing.”

Speaking of the championship standings, with 13 races remaining, Hessert secures fourth in the championship standings accumulating 1575 markers and just 10 points behind Chad Hackenbracht for third. Just 85 separate the ARCA veteran from the top spot held by Brennan Poole.

“You can see even with our finishes this year, there’s not much room for error and the points are incredibly tight,” Hessert explained. “Every position is important, every point is critical and we know that going into Michigan this weekend now more than ever.”

Entering Michigan, Hessert has 90 career ARCA Racing Series starts. In those outings, he has maneuvered two poles, one win, 22 top-fives and 48 top-10s.

The RainEater Wiper Blades 200 (100 laps / 200 miles) is the eighth of 20 events on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 31st ARCA race at Michigan International Speedway is a two-day show. Practice begins Thursday, June 14 with an hour and a half practice session planned from 4:05 p.m. – 5:35 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for race day, Friday, June 15 slated to begin at 10:00 a.m. The event will take the green shortly after 5:00 p.m. The race will be televised live on SPEED. Additional coverage including timing and scoring available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com. All times are local (Eastern).

 

For more on Tom Hessert III, please visit tomhessert.com.

Hessert has joined the Twitter crave. Follow and connect with him @TomHessert.

[media-credit name=”canadiantiremotorsportspark.com” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]With a sigh of relief, D.J. Kennington is ready jump into his comfort zone. The 2012 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series season started off with a pair of road-course events, but the Clarington 200 at the Speedway at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park near Bowmanville, Ont., on June 16 opens a three-race stretch of competition on oval tracks – the EMCO 200 on June 23 at Delaware (Ont.) Speedway and the A&W Cruisin’ The Dub 300 at Motoplex Speedway and Event Park in Vernon, B.C., on July 14 follow.

“It’s not that I don’t like I don’t like road racing because I do. It’s very challenging, but I’m just more comfortable on ovals,” said the 2010 series champion.

Despite professing not to be a road racer Kennington, out of St. Thomas, Ont., produced a pair of top-five finishes to open the season including a third-place effort to start the year at the Road Course at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and a finish in fifth at Circuit ICAR in Mirabel, Que.

“It’s a pretty decent start. I think we had a top-three car at ICAR, but we made a few mistakes,” said the driver of the No. 17 Castrol Edge/Mahindra Tractors Dodge. “Third in the opener was solid. Anytime you can beat Andrew Ranger (fourth place) on a road course, that’s a good day.”

Sitting third in the championship point standings – seven behind leader J.R. Fitzpatrick – Kennington is ready to turn some laps on oval tracks. Of his 11 series-career wins, 10 have come on ovals, but he has yet to reach Victory Lane on the Speedway at CTMP. His best results at the track were third-place finishes in 2008 and 2009. Last year, he crossed the line in the fifth position.

“It’s a tough track. None of the turns are alike. I’m not sure I’ve ever hit the same mark twice in a row,” he noted. “I think I won a CASCAR race there in 2005, but for one reason or another we haven’t gotten a NASCAR win there.”

Kennington, sort of a Canadian version of Rick Hendrick or Jack Roush, prepares three cars out of his shop as both Noel Dowler and Jason White run Dodges out of the DJK Racing stable. But he doesn’t feel that detracts from his own championship-caliber program.

“It’s kind of a double-edged sword. Sometimes I wish we didn’t have three cars to get ready, but sometimes it’s good to turn your attention to something else,” he said. “It’s really a good way for us not to obsess on our own stuff.”

The Clarington 200 winner will set the tone for the seven-race oval-track season perhaps making this race the most important one on the calendar and Kennington, owner of 45 top-five finishes in 65 series starts, almost assuredly will have some say in the matter. EVENT SCHEDULE | ENTRY LIST

Clarington 200 Race Notes

New Date: After four consecutive August races and a May date to open the 2011 season, the Clarington 200 will be run in June for the first time. Traditionally, the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series visits the Road Course at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in June, but this year the opener was held on the legendary road circuit on May 20.

Dynamic Duo:Scott Steckly (No. 22 Canadian Tire Dodge) and Andrew Ranger (No. 27 Dodge/GC Motorsports Dodge) have combined for four Canadian Tire Series championships and are the only two drivers in the field who have won on the Speedway at CTMP. Don Thomson Jr. is now the crew chief for J.R. Fitzpatrick (No. 84 Equipment Express Chevrolet), and Kerry Micks gives way to Mark Dilley (No. 02 Leland/BDI/PartSource Ford) with whom he is sharing seat time this season.

Curtain Raisers:Dilley and Pete Shepherd III (No. 7 National Exhaust Dodge) are making their 2012 debut in the Clarington 200. Both drivers will compete almost exclusively on the ovals this season. Together, they have combined for five series wins including two last season.

First Timers:Eight drivers – Steve Côté, Ray Courtemanche Jr., Noel Dowler, L.P. Dumoulin, Larry Jackson, Martin Roy, Howie Scannell Jr. and Mike Scholz – are slated to make their first start on the tricky half-mile oval in a Canadian Tire Series car.

Not Alone:While the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series will rule the roost on Saturday evening at the Speedway, up the hill on the Road Course the daylight hours will be consumed by the 33rd Annual Vintage Racing Festival. Tickets for the Clarington 200 are still available by phone and through the track’s website atwww.canadiantiremotorsportpark.com.

ICAR Lucas Oil Grand Prix Wrap-UpFamiliar Look: The top-five finishers – L.P. Dumoulin, J.R. Fitzpatrick, D.J. Kennington, Andrew Ranger and Scott Steckly – at Circuit ICAR were the same five drivers as the season opener at the Road Course at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park although the order was a little different.

Impressive Start: Alex Labbe (No. 36 VR Victoriaville Dodge) scored a sixth-place finish in his NASCAR Canadian Tire Series debut and joined an elite group – Jason Bowles, Steve Mathews and Chris Raabe – who registered a top-10 finish in a series debut since the beginning of the 2009 season.

Touch ‘Em All: With his victory in the ICAR Lucas Oil Grand Prix at Circuit ICAR Andrew Ranger now has wins at every road course the series has visited in just over five seasons. All told, he has 12 road-course wins and 15 overall as the 25-year-old out of Roxton Pond, Que., leads the all-time victories list.

High-Water Marks: In addition to Labbe, six other drivers at Circuit ICAR established or equaled series-best finishes. The Dumoulin brothers – Jean-Francois and Louis-Philippe – tied their career marks at seventh and fourth, respectively, and Steve Côté equaled his best finish of 11th. Setting new highs were Martin Roy (10th), Larry Jackson (12th) and Ray Courtemanche Jr. (15th).

NEXT TIME OUT: EMCO 200
The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series makes annual visit to Delaware (Ont.) Speedway on Saturday, June 23 for the EMCO 200 presented by Niagara Plumbing Supply and McKeough Supply. It will be the fourth time for the series to compete on the half-mile oval in Southern Ontario. D.J. Kennington has a pair of wins at his home track, but last year Don Thomson Jr. prevailed over Scott Steckly and Kennington to take the win.

[media-credit name=”canadiantiremotorsportspark.com” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series takes on an oval track for the first time in 2012 at the Speedway at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. The Clarington 200 is set for Saturday, June 16 at 7 p.m. ET. Below is a statistical look at the recent performance of selected drivers at ICAR, as well as some other statistical trends:

Ron Beauchamp Jr. (No. 60 Mopar/Mobil 1 Dodge)
• Finished ninth last season in the Clarington 200.
• Scored fourth-place finishes on the Speedway at CTMP in both 2009 and 2010.
• Has a streak of three straight top 10s on the half-mile oval.
• Finished seventh in last season’s final point standings.
• One of five drivers to start all 65 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races.

Mark Dilley (No. 02 Leland/BDI/PartSource Ford)
• Placed 18th a season ago at CTMP.
• Is a two-time runner-up at the track – 2007 and 2008.
• Has led 72 laps on the half-mile oval.
• Has just one top 10 in last three Speedway at CTMP starts.
• Making his 2012 debut in the Clarington 200.
• Sharing time with Kerry Micks this season behind the wheel of the No. 02 Ford.

Steve Côté (No. 99 White Motorsports Chevrolet)
• Making his track debut in this year’s Clarington 200 and his first series start on an oval track.
• Was the 2010 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Quebec provincial champion while competing at Autodrome St. Eustache (Que.).
• Finished second in Modified division last season at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif., an annual stop on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West schedule.

Noel Dowler (No. 5 EMCO-Kohler/Rheem Dodge)
• Making his track debut in this year’s Clarington 200.
• Scored a season-best finish of 11th last season at Riverside International Speedway in Antigonish, N.S.
• Finished third in last year’s Rookie of the Year standings.

L.P. Dumoulin (No. 47 WeatherTech Canada/Bellmare Dodge)
• Making his track debut in this year’s Clarington 200.
• Making just his fourth career start on an oval.
• Has scored back-to-back top fives to open the season.
• Was the 2011 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Rookie of the Year.
• Now a teammate of defending series champion Scott Steckly.
• 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 seventh a season ago at CTMP after starting on the pole.
• Career-best finish at the track was second in 2010.
• Has three top-10 finishes in four starts on the half-mile oval.
• Has led a total of 19 laps at the CTMP Speedway.
• Six of his seven career series wins have come on road courses – CTMP (3), Edmonton (2) and Montreal.
• Has made a pair of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts this season.

Jason Hathaway (No. 3 Snap-on Tools/Rockstar Energy Drink/Vortex Brake Pads Dodge)
• Finished sixth a season ago in the Clarington 200.
• Career-best finish of fourth came in 2007 at the track.
• Has top-10 finishes in four of his five Speedway at CTMP starts.
• One of five drivers to start all 65 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races.

D.J. Kennington (No. 17 Castrol Edge/Mahindra Tractors Dodge)
• Finished fifth last season at the Speedway at CTMP.
• Has scored a top-10 finish in all five of his outings at the track.
• Has led a total of 123 laps on the half-mile oval.
• Has a current streak of four consecutive top-five finishes and five straight top 10s.
• Has 11 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series victories – tied with Scott Steckly for second on the all-time list.
• Won 2010 series championship.
• One of five drivers to start all 65 NCATS races.

Jeff Lapcevich (No. 23 Tim Hortons Dodge)
• Scored an eighth-place finish last year on the Speedway at CTMP for his first top 10 at the track in three tries.
• Has a streak of six straight top-10 finishes in Canadian Tire Series action.
• In 2012, is competing fulltime in the Canadian Tire Series for the first time.

Steve Mathews (No. 15 Bill Mathews Motors Ford)
• Logged a 10th-place finish last season on the Speedway at CTMP.
• Finished sixth in the 2009 race at the former Mosport Speedway in his series debut.

Andrew Ranger (No. 27 Dodge/GC Motorsport Dodge)
• Has not competed at the track since winning the 2009 Clarington 200.
• Has top-five finishes in his last five Canadian Tire Series starts.
• Has finished inside the top 10 in 24 of his last 25 series starts dating back to the 2008 season.
• Is the series’ all-time leader with 15 victories.
• Tied with Don Thomson Jr. at 11 atop the all-time list for pole wins.
• Won the series championship in 2007 and 2009.

Martin Roy (No. 90 Veloce/Gamache Truck Center Dodge)
• Making his track debut in this year’s Clarington 200 and his first series start on an oval track.
• Is the current leader in the Rookie of the Year standings.

Pete Shepherd III (No. 7 National Exhaust Dodge)
• Finished second last season in the Clarington 200.
• Scored a fifth-place finish in 2010 at the track.
• Has led a total of 76 laps in his two starts on the half-mile track.
• Closed 2011 with a pair of top-10 finishes.
• Has top 10s in five of his last seven Canadian Tire Series starts.

Scott Steckly (No. 22 Canadian Tire Dodge)
• Won the 2011 edition of the Clarington 200.
• Has three top-10 performances in five starts on the half-mile Ontario oval.
• Has four consecutive top-five finishes dating back to last season.
• Has scored a top-10 finish in six of his last seven series starts.
• Has 11 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series victories – tied with D.J. Kennington for second on the all-time list.
• Won 2008 and 2011 series championships.
• One of five drivers to start all 65 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races.

Jason White (No. 21 A&W/Bowers & Wilkins Dodge)
• Finished 15th last season in the Clarington 200.
• Was 2008 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Rookie of the Year.

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series At The Speedway At Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
• This is the series’ sixth season to compete on the half-mile oval at CTMP.
• The series also races on the 2.459-mile road course, adjacent to the oval track at CTMP.
• Chevrolet and Ford each have a pair of wins while Dodge has one at the track.
• There has been an average of 7.2 caution periods for an average of 50.8 laps in the five prior races with the earliest coming at Lap 5 in 2011 and the latest at Lap 201 in 2007.
• The average starting position of the winner is 4.8, while the polesitter has an average finish of 8.2.
• 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.
• Andrew Ranger (2009) and Scott Steckly (2011) are the only two former winners at the track entered in the event.
• The Clarington 200 has been run in August four times and once in May. This is the first June date for the event.
• Eight drivers – Steve Côté, Ray Courtemanche Jr., Noel Dowler, L.P. Dumoulin, Larry Jackson, Martin Roy, Howie Scannell Jr., Mike Scholz – are making their track debut.
• Côté, Courtemanche, Jackson, Roy, Scannell and Scholz are making their first series start on an oval.
• The race’s television premier is scheduled for Sunday, June 24 at 1 p.m. ET on TSN and Wednesday, July 11 at 10 p.m. ET on RDS2.

[media-credit name=”canadiantiremotorsportspark.com” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Canada’s top stock car championship, the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series returns to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, this time to take on Canada’s fastest half-mile paved oval for the Clarington 200, June 16.

J.R. Fitzpatrick of Ayr, ON, winner of the Vortex Brake Pads 200 on the road course in May, will look to hold off rival Andrew Ranger of Roxton Pond, QC, defending series champion Scott Steckly of Milverton, ON, St. Thomas, ON native and 2010 champion D.J. Kennington and many others who will be looking for victory in the all-important first oval race of 2012 Canadian Tire Series championship.

Adult tickets for the Clarington 200 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Speedway are just $30 until June 13 ($35 at the Gate). Youth tickets (ages 13-16) are $20. Each ticket includes parking, a NASCAR driver autograph session, access to the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Expo and Marketplace and the NASCAR Midway. As with all Canadian Tire Motorsport Park events, children 12 and under are admitted for free when accompanied by a paid adult admission.

The Grand Prix Club offers a VIP hospitality package for only $90. The GP Club Chalet tent is located at Corner One and pass holders will have access to a grandstand reserved for VIP Hospitality guests. It will open at 4:30 pm and dinner will be served from 6:00 pm until the drop of the green flag at 7 pm.

For more information and to purchase tickets call the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Hotline at 1-800-866-1072 (Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm ET), visit online at www.canadiantiremotorsportpark.com, or email info@ctmpark.com.

– 30 –

[media-credit name=”ThorSport Racing” align=”alignright” width=”286″][/media-credit]FRANK KIMMEL MICHIGAN PREVIEW

Driver of the No. 44 Ansell/Menards Toyota Camry ARCA RACING SERIES * RainEater Wiper Blades 200 * MICHIGAN INT’L SPEEDWAY

No. 44 Ansell/ Menards Toyota Camry ARCA RACING SERIES – RACE 8 OF 20 – Michigan International Speedway

For the second consecutive week, Frank Kimmel and the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards competitors will tackle a newly repaved racetrack, at Michigan International Speedway. This will mark the second event of 2012 on an intermediate style racetrack which compliment the short track portion of the ARCA schedule. After battling back from tire woes last week at Pocono Raceway to finish sixth, Kimmel and the Ansell/Menards team enter Michigan continuing to carry momentum after seeing their streak of top ten finishes extended.

The ARCA Racing Series was the first series to host a race on Pocono’s new pavement, and will do the same this weekend at MIS. With the asphalt similarities, Kimmel and the Thorsport Racing team hope to have their #44 Ansell/Menards Toyota perform similarly to last week’s event in Long Pond, PA. With five consecutive top tens leading into this weekend’s Rain Eater Wiper Blades 200, Kimmel is poised to take another step towards his tenth series crown.

The nine-time series champion has made more starts at MIS than any other driver in the ARCA Racing Series with 23. Kimmel has also shown the way to victory lane twice, in June 1998 and 2005. With finishes in the top ten in the last two events at MIS, Kimmel has also been known to start towards the front in his career, combining strong qualifying efforts as well as high points positions. Kimmel has started in the top ten in five of the last seven MIS events, and has nine top fives and thirteen top tens.

TOP TEN STREAK: Kimmel is gunning for his sixth consecutive top ten finish of 2012. His stretch of top tens dates back to Talladega in April where he finished 7th. Kimmel has also finished in the top ten in three of the last four races at Michigan.

ON THE RECORD: Kimmel can tie Iggy Katona’s all-time record of 43 pole awards on Saturday morning during Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell. With 74 career victories, Kimmel is five wins behind Katona’s all-time wins record in the ARCA Racing Series.

POINTS REPORT: After 7 of 20 races, Kimmel sits fifth in series points, 95 points out of the lead. Thus far, Kimmel has three top-5’s and five top-10 finishes in 2012.

CLOSE TO THE FRONT: Kimmel has not started outside the top 15 at Michigan since June of 1999, span of fifteen races. He has started five of the last seven MIS events in the top ten, and is looking for his first career pole at MIS.

CHASSIS CHOICE:Kimmel will pilot chassis A-2 out of the Thorsport Racing stable in the RainEater Wiper Blades 200. This chassis saw its first laps of competition last week in Pocono where it qualified 5th, and was raced to a 6th place finish.

MICHIGAN MENARDS APPEARANCE: Kimmel will be signing autographs at the Jackson, MI Menards location on Thursday night from 7-8PM local time, following ARCA Racing Series practice. Kimmel will be joined by Sprint Cup Series driver, and defending Brickyard 400 winner, Paul Menard. The #27 Menards Sprint Cup Showcar and the #88 Menards Camping World Truck Series showtruck will be on hand as well.

THOUGHTS FROM THE DRIVER: Frank Kimmel  WHAT CHANGES DO YOU ANTICIPATE AFTER THE REPAVING AT MIS? “It will be similar to Pocono, but different as well. The majority of the lap at MIS, you’re in the turn. We’re going to have the same issues trying to get the car to turn, and have to be on the throttle a lot. I think we’ll be wide open the whole lap, especially for qualifying, and probably even in the race at times. You’re going to need a car that turns good, but stay wide open a lot too.”

HOW VITAL IS AN INTERMEDIATE TRACK PROGRAM TO WINNING A CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE ARCA RACING SERIES? “You have to have a good program at every place we go. Five years ago, we had more intermediate tracks than anything else. It’s switched to where we have a lot of short tracks now. It’s all important with two races at superspeedways, two on dirt, a road course and these intermediates. They guy that wins the championship is going to be good everywhere we go, no matter what type of track we race on.”

Race Info    June 15th, 2012 Michigan International Speedway  2-Mile Paved Tri-Oval RainEater Wiper Blades 200 100 Laps/200 Miles

Broadcast Info: Live Timing & Scoring at ARCARacing.com Thursday, June 14: Practice 4:05-5:40 pmET  Friday, June 15: Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell -10:00 amET   RACE – 5:15 pmET

LIVE ON SPEED @ 5:00pmET

Team Facts: Current Driver Point Standings: 5TH

Chassis: A-2 – Raced at Pocono (6th)

Engine: TRD (Toyota Racing Development) & TRIAD

Frank Kimmel ARCA RACING SERIES results at Michigan Int’l Speedway: WINS: 2   POLES: 0   Top 5s: 9   Top 10s: 13  Total Appearances: 23

ABOUT MENARDS: With 263 stores in 13 Midwestern states, Menards has the tools, materials and supplies for all your home improvement needs whether just needing a light bulb or can of paint to building a deck or new home.  Menards is known throughout the home improvement industry as the low price leader; it’s no wonder their famous slogan – “SAVE BIG MONEY” – is so widely known and easy to remember.  Menards does things right – the company’s strength and success can be seen in the well-stocked and maintained stores, the lowest prices in town and the way guests are always treated like family in a hometown hardware store atmosphere.

ABOUT ANSELL: Ansell is aglobal leader in protection solutions, with operations in North America, LAC, EMEA and Asia-Pacific.  Ansell designs, develops, manufactures and markets a wide range of surgical, examination, industrial and household gloves, protective clothing and condoms. People in over 100 countries around the world put their trust in Ansell’s innovative, high-quality solutions to offer superior protection, combined with high levels of comfort and performance.   Ansell holds its operational headquarters in Red Bank, NJ, USA and its parent, Ansell Limited, is registered  in Melbourne, Australia. Worldwide, the group employs over 10,000 people in 33 countries. In its Fiscal Year 2011, Ansell achieved sales of USD 1.2 bn. For more information visit www.ansell.com, www.safetypro.com, www.activarmr.com and www.ansellconstruction.com.

[media-credit name=”ARCA Racing Network” align=”alignright” width=”175″][/media-credit]BROOKLYN, Michigan (June 13, 2012) – – Even though their ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards debut together at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway didn’t turn out as planned last weekend, Aleks Gregory and his Win-Tron Racing team will have their chance at redemption Friday afternoon at Michigan International Speedway (MIS) for the running of the RainEater Wiper Blades 200.

Thankfully, it doesn’t appear that the Wiper Blades will be anything needed for the impending future – but track time is something that the Lakeville, Minnesota-based team is counting on in order to give their young driver some more laps around the track’s two-mile oval in what is expected to be one of the fastest races of the 2012 season.

Much like Pocono last weekend, MIS has undergone a facelift which has included new pavement which has increased the speeds tremendously, but also given the drivers plenty of maneuverability in preparation for the eighth race of the season.

 

The fact was shown as Gregory participated in the ARCA Racing Series open-test session a few weeks ago where theBaton Rouge, Louisiana native was impressive right out of the box with speed. The team, led by veteran crew chief Mark Rette is hoping to pick up right where they left off for this weekend.

“That track (Michigan) is a lot different than Daytona or Talladega,” said Gregory. “It takes a lot more as a driver to actually wheel these cars out there, so our main goal during the test was really to just get used to the track. I really enjoyed running The Mosquito Patch car at Michigan. We did really well in the test and I am extremely confident. I am very comfortable in that race car; I love the way it handles and the way it performs. I definitely think that we will have a great run in Michigan. I love the track.”

 

To help their new driver adapt to Michigan, Win-Tron Racing elected to have Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway winner Brandon McReynolds shakedown the No. 32 The Mosquito Patch Toyota Camry on May 22 during the open-test at Michigan International Speedway and the feedback that McReynolds was able to offer to Gregory transpired back onto the track.

“Brandon did a good job for us at the test and we’re appreciative of that, but we’re looking forward to Friday with Aleks,” said Rette. “We’re bringing the same Toyota Camry we had there at the test, hopefully with the adjustments we’ve made, the car will even more comfortable to him and we have a successful run.”

 

Nate Thiesse, co-car-owner of Win-Tron Racing offered his thoughts on Friday’s activities. “Michigan’s going to be another race with some unknowns, but a lot of the teams are prepared this week because of the test compared to Pocono. Aleks turned a lot of laps during the test and we plan to use practice to our advantage on Thursday. When the green flag drops, we want Aleks to learn and see the checkered flag.”

 

In addition to Michigan, the duo will also tackle the Ansell / ActivArmr® 150 at Chicagoland Speedway (July 21), the Pennsylvania ARCA 125 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, (August 4) and the season-finale Kansas Lottery 98.9 at Kansas Speedway (October 19).

 

The RainEater Wiper Blades 200 (100 laps / 200 miles) is the eighth of 20 events on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 31^stARCA race at Michigan International Speedway is a two-day show. Practice begins Thursday, June 14 with an hour and a half practice session planned from 4:05 p.m. – 5:35 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for race day, Friday, June 15 slated to begin at 10:00 a.m. The event will take the green shortly after 5:00 p.m. The race will be televised live on SPEED. Additional coverage including timing and scoring available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com. All times are local (Eastern).

Further information including driver opportunities with Win-Tron Racing is available by visiting win-tronracing.com or contacting Nate Thiesse at 612.306.1641.

For more on Aleks Gregory, please visit aleksgregory.com.

 

About Win-Tron Racing:

Located in Lakeville, Minnesota, Win-Tron Racing is the home of one the most potent ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards single-car operations. Owned by former racers Kevin Cywinski and Nate Thiesse, the team since has acquired the assets of County Joe Racing has become a favorable fixture on the circuit. Since Win-Tron Racing’s inception in 2007, the team has hosted a variety of drivers including leading drivers James Buescher, Blake Bjorklund, Justin Marks and Matt Merrell to their first career ARCA victories. In 2012, the team will begin its sixth year of competition with current drivers Chris Windom, Mason Mingus and Aleks Gregory.

About The Mosquito Patch:

Headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, The Mosquito Patch (themosquitopatch.us) is an all-natural, deet free mosquito bite protection patch. The transdermal, water-proof patch attaches to the skin and provides up to 36 hours of mosquito bite protection. Because the spray-free, odor-free patch is all-natural, it is safe to use on children and adults of all ages.

[media-credit name=”Venturini Motorsports” align=”alignright” width=”250″][/media-credit]Concord, NC (June 13, 2012) — For the first time in 30 years, Venturini Motorsports will field a Ford with 18-year-old rookie driver Ryan Reed in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. Reed will take the green flag for the upcoming RainEater Wiper Blades 200 event at Michigan International Speedway on June 15th. The event will be televised live on SPEED TV at 5:00pm ET.

As a National Celebrity Advocate of JDRF, Ryan Reed is in the midst of a successful rookie season in the ARCA Racing Series and is excited to have the opportunity to unveil his No.15 Ryan’s Mission Ford featuring the Sam Bass designed car highlighting JDRF and power delivered by RoushYates engines at Michigan.

“I can’t wait to race with the Ford power. We had a really successful test at Michigan earlier this month and that was the first time I’ve been behind a Ford motor and the team and I saw great performance,” said Reed. “And on a personal level, this is a great opportunity for me to show my appreciation for everything Ford does to support JDRF.”

“Through Ryan’s Mission and my relationship with JDRF this year, I’ve been able to use my racing efforts to add awareness to type 1 diabetes and help promote early detection of the disease which afflicts millions of people including myself.”

As the largest single contributor to JDRF, Ford Motor Company has been instrumental in the organization’s ability to extend it’s awareness and provide valuable research resources over the past few decades.

We’re looking forward to Michigan and unveiling our new car in Ford Motor Company’s backyard,” stated Billy Venturini, Competition Director for Venturini Motorsports.

“The RoushYates FR-9 engines have been ultra-competitive in the ARCA series making them an attractive option for our team. After meeting with RoushYates (Nick Ramey and Jeff Clark) earlier in the year, we were able to put together a program which allows us (Venturini Motorsports) to run the No.15 team under the Ford banner.”

RoushYates is the exclusive engine builder and supplier for Ford racecars competing in ARCA and NASCAR.

Reed is currently eighth in the ARCA series championship point standings and sits 22-points behind Venturini Motorsports teammate, Brennan Poole, for top spot in the Team Messina Rookie Challenge standings.

About Ryan Reed & Ryan’s Mission 
Ryan Reed is a NASCAR development driver racing under the Venturini Motorsports banner in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.

Ryan was diagnosed with T1D in February 2011 and initially told by doctors his “racing career” was over. Armed with the passion and determination to fulfill his dreams, Reed shifted his focus and poured all his energy into managing his health and educating himself on the disease. He uses his racing platform and personal story to inspire others living with T1D to continue living life to its fullest through Ryan’s Mission.

Reed’s off-track goodwill has made him a National Celebrity Advocate of JDRF, the world’s largest funder of research towards curing, treating and preventing T1D and its complications. Today, Reed is only one of three professional racecar drivers in the world to compete at the highest levels of racing with T1D.
Official: www.RyansMission.org | Twitter @driverRyanReed | Facebook: Ryan Reed

 

About Venturini Motorsports 
Venturini Motorsports (VMS), fielding cars in the ARCA Racing Series, is one of the premier NASCAR driver development programs in the country. The 2012 season marks the team’s 30th Anniversary of competition in the ARCA Series. 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, Steve Arpin, Brian Scott, Max Gresham, Miguel Paludo, Josh Richards, Ryan Blaney, and Scott Lagasse, Jr.

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