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Other series racing

  • RON BEAUCHAMP SCORES TOP TEN AT MOSPORT

    RON BEAUCHAMP SCORES TOP TEN AT MOSPORT

    May 29, 2011. Ron Beauchamp Jr and the #60 Mopar Parts/Mobil 1/Exide Batteries Dodge team began the 2011 NASCAR Canadian Tire series this past weekend at Mosport Speedway near Bowmanville, Ontario. Sporting the sleek new Dodge Challenger body on their race car the team battled for 200 grueling laps and claimed a top-ten finish to open the racing year.

    Beauchamp and the #60 Mopar Parts/Mobil 1/Exide Batteries Dodge team struggled a bit during the afternoon practice session and they worked hard to improve the cars performance. “We were surprised the car wasn’t quite as good as it was during the testing session here” explained Beauchamp. “We tried some different things prior to qualifying hoping it would improve” he added.

    Beauchamp would qualify the #60 Mopar Parts/Mobil 1/Exide Batteries Dodge tenth and begin the race from the outside of row five. Early on the changes appeared to be helping the car. “The car felt good at the beginning of the run but then it started to tighten up” said Beauchamp. “We had that long green flag run of more than 100 laps and that hurt us” he explained.

    When a caution period allowed the #60 Mopar Parts/Mobil 1/Exide Batteries Dodge team to make a pit stop for fuel and tires the team again adjusted the car looking for better performance. “The changes helped a little bit” said Beauchamp. “But again the longer the race stayed green the car would tighten up, if we had some shorter runs it would have helped us” he added.

    Beauchamp would continue to push the #60 Mopar Parts/Mobil 1/Exide Batteries Dodge to the checkered flag and claim a ninth place finish in the race. “We really thought our car should have finished higher” said the driver. “But it got a little wild near the end of the race with guys pushing, we came out of here with a top-ten and now we’ll make some adjustments and be better as the season moves on” he added.

    Ron Beauchamp Jr. and the #60 Mopar Parts/Mobil 1/Exide Batteries Dodge Team will compete in all twelve races on the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. The next event takes place June 4 & 5 at Circuit ICAR near Montreal, Quebec. Once again this year all events will be broadcast on TSN. Fans should check their local listings for times. For more information about the #60 Mopar Parts/Mobil 1/Exide Batteries team log on to www.beauchampmotorsports.com and http://www.mopar.ca/ www.mopar.ca For series information check out http://www.nascar.ca/ www.nascar.ca

  • Danica Patrick’s Biggest Fan….Mother Nature

    Danica Patrick’s Biggest Fan….Mother Nature

    It was barely a year ago at this same track, for this same exact race under the same circumstances that Andretti Autosport driver Danica Patrick, was blasting her team for an ill handling car and slow qualifying speeds for the  IZOD IndyCar series biggest race of the season.

    Patrick, who was close to tears after qualifying 23rd for the 2010 Indianapolis 500 , was heard over the public-address system saying that, “This is the worst car I’ve ever had. There’s no stability or grip. It’s just scary, really scary…It’s awful, really awful. I think I’m still shaking.”

    Patrick went on to say that, “I wasn’t flat out the last two laps and I was scared to death flat on the first two. I’ve never been bad here before. I’ve never been outside the top 10 on a finish or qualifying, so, it’s not my fault. The car is not good.”

    Right after her comments were broadcast, the fans began expressing their disapproval by booing her because of her displeasure with the team, even though the team agreed with her evaluation that she wasn’t able to maximize the car’s speed because of how loose it was in the corners.

    Tom Anderson, Andretti Autosport’s senior vice president for racing operations “You take one on the chin, but maybe you had it coming this time.” Anderson finished with, “All you can do is turn the other cheek and just get back to work.”

    One year later and once again Andretti Autosport had their problems finding the speed they needed to qualify up front, while Patrick again became the big story sitting on pit road waiting to qualify her GoDaddy.com Honda powered IndyCar. Patrick was set to qualify second on the day, but was not allowed on the track when her car failed tech inspection, and she was sent to the back of the line once the necessary repairs were made to the rear of the car.

    To make matters worse once the car passed inspection, Patrick’s nerves would once again be tested when the rains came before she was about to make her qualifying run. Patrick was lined up behind Paul Tracy who only just finished qualifying, when the rains began as he was coming out of turn three heading into turn four.

    With a little over two and half hours left before the gun would go off to end the qualifying session, Patrick sat in her car underneath an umbrella with a blank stare on her face watching the rain wash away her hopes in a matter of seconds.

    Unlike last season when Patrick blasted her team for an ill handling car and for the failed tech inspection earlier in the day, Patrick kept her composure knowing that her team was no longer in control over the current situation.

    As the rain continued to fall, Patrick’s chances of qualifying for the 100th running of the Great American Race were now in the hands of Mother Nature. All Patrick could do was look on as now time was of the essence, and frustration had to be running through her mind knowing she might not be on the starting grid for her seventh Indianapolis 500 start.

    “This place is like a person — it reads you when you are nervous or not confident and it reads you when you are,” said Patrick. Patrick also added that, “It throws a lot at you, but that’s why it’s the greatest racetrack in the world. You’d think after seven years here I’d be better off, but this week was my worst ever.”

    With an hour and half left for the final set of drivers to qualify, the rains stopped and the track was dried which also ended the emotional rollercoaster ride Patrick was experiencing at the hands of Mother Nature.

    Patrick would eventually qualify 26th with an average speed of 224.861 mph, and said after exiting her car, “I feel like getting a drink, that’s how I feel right now.”  Patrick was still not happy with her qualifying efforts when she said, “I am mad because I really thought we had a fast car.”

    She also added that, “I’m relieved because I’m in the race. I’m frustrated with some of the process that happened and the things that happened. I’m somewhere between angry and happy,” which is a lot better than her comments last year when she threw her team under the bus.

  • Indianapolis 500: Dixon Leads Final Practice, Briscoe Wins Pit Stop Competition

    On Miller Lite Carb Day, Scott Dixon led the final practice session with a quick lap of 225.474mph.

    “It’s more of just a systems check,” Dixon said, who will start second on Sunday. “The car’s obviously been in a million pieces since we last drove them. It’s just to make sure they’re all functioning. We came in and did a few pit stops. Because of the lack of on-track time that we’ve had, we made a few changes. We tried some dampers, aero downforce levels, things like that. It’s obviously very cold and probably not very close or in line with what we’re going to run in on Sunday. All in all, it was pretty decent. The car was good. There was loads of traffic. There was lots of action going on out there with people speeding up and slowing down. It was pretty good for both Target cars.”

    Pole Sitter Alex Tagliani was second on the speed charts at a speed of 224.739mph for Sam Schmidt Motorsports.

    “Yeah, it was an amazing week that we had last week,” Tagliani said. “We’re really fortunate that we rolled the car off the trailer fast. The team has done a great job to fine-tune it. Every day we were out there, and we were strong. So it’s been a pleasure for me to drive a very competitive car. Today it was nice to be back on track. Obviously, we have a very different car that we’re going to drive in the race. And I feel the car is very racey. I love it in traffic. It got some consistency out of the car on the older tires. So I don’t know. It seems to me to be unreal and too good to be true sometimes. But I want to think that we deserve it. We did everything better than everyone else, and hopefully it will continue. All winter long, the team fine-tuned the car. They just put their love into it, brought it back this year. Same car, same aerodynamic package, same track, and the car did better. So Penske and Ganassi have done that 10 years in a row. They have done the particular program that we have done for one race 10 years in row: Have a good car and keep improving it every year. And we’re trying to close the gap in a year and a half. It’s not an easy task.”

    With the single car operation, Tagliani has been turning a lot of heads, including Dixon’s.

    “Tag has done a hell of a job this month,” Dixon said. “It’s good to see that it’s been working so well. You know, you’re never going to know until you get to the race. He’s a good friend, and I’m definitely proud to see what he’s achieved, obviously, with a start-up team and to be able to mix it up with the big teams.”

    Tagliani says when he leads the first lap in the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 Sunday, it will mean a lot.

    “I’ve been very appreciative of what’s happened to me as a driver,” Tagliani said. “But what we don’t want to forget is that we have the chance to participate in a historical event. And to just have the chance to qualify in it is already a big thing. Leading the field, I think it’s going to be something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

    Meanwhile, Dixon’s Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Dario Franchitti was third at a speed of 224.658mph.

    “We can always learn something from today,” he said. “It will be a lot different on Sunday. We think we know how to turn the car around for those conditions. It will be a tough race. I think there is less grip than last year, and that’s going to make it really interesting. The slower speed (start and restarts) will be better. We may be going 190 into the first turn on the start. Turn 2 will be Turn 1 speed from years past. Restarts, I still don’t agree with side-by-side, I think we’re just asking for a bit of marbles. Whatever happens will be interesting, it will be slick and interesting. Dixie (Scott Dixon) looks strong. He’s going to be tough. We’re pretty strong, but just like the month I had last year, he (Dixon) has been on a rail all month. I followed (Alex) Tagliani, and he looks pretty average in traffic. But when he gets off the corner, he really goes. He will be plenty tough to beat. There are a bunch of people you just know who will be there (challenging for the win). (Dan) Wheldon will contend, the Penske cars will be strong, and there will be others. It’s wide open.”

    Victor Meira was fourth at a speed of 224.480mph with Dan Wheldon rounding out the top five at 224.439mph.

    Meanwhile, Ryan Briscoe’s No. 6 IZOD Team Penske team won the IZOD Indy 500 Pit Stop Competition as they defeated Dario Franchitti’s Target Chip Ganassi Racing team in the final round. His pit crew received a $50,000 first prize. Penske Racing has now won the competition a record 13 times, including the last six times in a row, though marks the first for Ryan Briscoe.

    “I think what you saw now is a taste of what these guys are going to be doing for me in the race, and it’s so important,” Briscoe said. “I put so much pride in their pit stops, and I’m just lucky to have the best guys in pit lane. Helio has definitely been the favorite over the past few years, but I’ve got this guy (Matt) and I was never looking at who was beside me. We were really consistent, and after the first one we just wanted to keep repeating. They did it all. The Penske pride in the competition goes back a ways, so we don’t want to show up here and not be in the competition.”

    Meanwhile for chief mechanic Matt Jonsson, it marks his second win as he led Sam Hornish Jr.’s team in 2005.

    “This win means a lot,” he said. “It adds confidence for Sunday, of course, and we’re planning on doing the same thing on Sunday and trying to move up through the field. We win as a team and lose as a team, and that’s our job on Sunday, to try to move up the field. Ryan came in on a consistent speed, stopped right on his marks. That’s key for us. We don’t have to adjust; we just do the same thing every time. If everyone stays calm and collected, that’s the way it turns out to be: consistent.”

    The winner of the competition has gone on to win the Indianapolis 500 six times, most recently with Team Penske’s Helio Castroneves in 2009.

  • Josef Newgarden Wins Firestone Freedom 100, Continuing Dream Weekend for SSM

    If winning the pole for the Indianapolis 500 and Firestone Freedom 100 wasn’t enough for Sam Schmidt Motorsports, Josef Newgarden brought home the victory in today’s Firestone Freedom 100 for the team.

    “It’s an unbelievable achievement for the team,” Newgarden said after his second win of the season. “I’m so grateful, and I have to thank Esteban because he helped me the whole race. It’s not really the way I wanted to win it, but I’ll take it.”

    The Nashville, Tenn. native is the first American to win the race since Ed Carpenter won the inaugural race in 2003.

    “The team was able to make me quick and I got up to speed right away,” Newgarden added. “This is the biggest win I think I have ever had. To win the Firestone Freedom 100 in front of this crowd at this famous racetrack is incredible. This has been a really fun experience trying to come in and absorb all of the information that my team has to offer.”

    The 40-lap Firestone Indy Lights race finished under caution after a crash on lap 34 with a 1-2 for SSM as it was his teammate Esteban Guerrieri in second. This is the first 1-2 by teammates in race’s history as they have won six of the nine races so far this year now.

    “It was fun for a while and a bit slow the rest of the race,” Guerrieri said. “It was a lot of yellows, we didn’t expect so many, but I’m happy to win second of course. What we were trying to do was work with my teammate, Joseph, to try to pull away and make the gap larger toward third. Then we could finish the race like me and him to race against each other, but unfortunately all the guys crashed.”

    Victor Garcia finished third, followed by Stefan Wilson and pole sitter Bryan Clauson.

    “I’m pretty happy to all my crew and I have to thank all of them because although we haven’t had a normal weekend it has been really good and we finished third,” Garcia said. “I think we could have won because we had what it takes to win, but we didn’t have the laps to do it.”

    “I’m pretty disappointed, really,” Wilson said. “I can’t believe that they had us driving around under the caution for so many laps. They (Anders Krohn and Jorge Goncalvez) were in bad shape. It looked like a really bad accident. There was debris everywhere. In my opinion, they should have red-flagged it and taken time to clean the track. Instead, we just drove around wasting time. The fans didn’t come out here to watch a parade of cars go around on the yellow flag. They wanted to see a race, and we never got to do it. Traditionally, this race has been won in the last 10 laps. I was biding my time, looking after my tires, and mine were looking the best of anyone out here. It was shaping up to be a good finish. If we had had a clear race and we weren’t just driving around under caution, we might have won it.”

    “I fell back early there and really didn’t really do my job there at the beginning,” Clauson said. “I had a hard time figuring it out for a little while. I didn’t have enough green flag laps to make up for those mistakes early on. All the guys on the car did a great job; I had a great race car. I made a lot of moves on the high line, but it just wasn’t enough. It was a whole new ball game, a lot different than anything I’ve ever done. I could have done a little bit better, but all in all it was a great day.”

    Clauson, who won the USAC National Driver’s Championship last year, started on the pole for his first ever Indy Lights Series race virtue of points after qualifying was rained out.

    “This is huge,” he said. “It’s a whole new experience for me, from the starts to the restarts, to the draft, shifting in the middle of a race – that’s unheard of for me. It was a lot wilder than I expected, but it was a lot of fun.”

    The caution came out on lap 34 after Jorge Goncalvez and Andres Krohn both wrecked simultaneously. While running three-wide, Krohn spun and made contact with the outside wall.

    “We got a big run behind the draft,” Clauson said of the accident. “It looked like the 9 car got low. Everybody just ran out of room. We were going for it.”

    “It was one of those races where absolutely everything happened,” Krohn said. “We were so fast, and we took the lead. It was so easy running it up there. Then a caution came out, and I just went to go to power and the rear slide around on me. After that point, we really didn’t have the speed because our tires were flat-spotted. Luckily another caution came out and we pitted for new tires, and then we were super, super quick. I think by the time our big crash happened we were up to fourth. It would have been the easiest thing to at least be on the podium or potentially win the race. I’m so disappointed for the guys at Belardi Auto Racing because we really had the fastest car today. We could run up, down low; it didn’t matter. We were so fast. It’s just a shame for the guys at Liberty Engineering and Logitrans that we couldn’t bring it home today. At the same time, I think we’ve shown people where our speed is, so hopefully we can come back next year and dominate this race.”

    At the same time, Goncalvez’s car spun and made right-side contact with the SAFER Barrier, followed by heavy contact with he inside wall. Goncalvez was transported to IU Health Methodist Hospital for evaluation and was released about five hours year. Krohn, meanwhile, was checked and cleared at the IU Health Emergency Care Center.

    “I’m so disappointed for the guys as Belardi Auto Racing because we really had the fastest car today,” Krohn said. “It would have been the easiest thing to at least be on the podium or potentially win the race. We could run up, down low; it didn’t matter. At the same time I think we’ve shown people where our speed is so hopefully we can come back next year and dominate this race.”

    Meanwhile, history was made today as Chase Austin became the first African-American to compete in the Indy Lights Series.

    “It was pretty cool,” Austin said after his ninth place finish. “We had little issues. The gearing was a little off, so I couldn’t really pass anybody by myself. The only way I’d get to pass anybody is when they’d check up in the corner. I just kind of had to be more ballsy than they were, which worked out for the most part. The car started going away a little bit in the end before we took that right rear tire. And just the cautions hurt us a lot on the restarts. But besides that, I have to thank American Honda, because without them we wouldn’t be here; Chris Miles and Willy T. for putting me in the car.”

    With the win, Newgarden took over the championship lead with 151 points, while Guerrieri has 125 and Wilson has 121.

  • One Car, One Driver, One Race, One Win . and One Set of Winning Tires

    SPEEDWAY, Ind, – When the Henry Ford Museum decided to conserve its 1965 Indianapolis 500-winning, Jim Clark Lotus-Ford 38/1, the car was carefully worked on to make sure it remained as original as possible.

    Forty-six years later, thanks to Firestone Racing, the last piece of the conservation is complete as Firestone today presented Henry Ford Museum with a special set of replica “Indy” tires that will be on the car when it makes a historic return to the track as part of pre-race ceremonies for Sunday’s centennial running of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race.

    Al Unser Sr., one of only three men to have won the Indy 500 four times, will be behind the wheel of the car when it takes a historic lap of the Speedway on Sunday. The Lotus-Ford 38/1 was chosen to represent the 1960s era of cars.

    The Clark Lotus-Ford 38/1 is considered a paradigm-changing car in Indy racing history, becoming the first rear-engine winner, and a car that was purpose-built to win Indianapolis. That would be the only race in which this Lotus would compete.

    “Being steward of this car at Henry Ford Museum has been an incredible journey for us,” said Christian Overland, Executive Vice President, The Henry Ford. “We had the chance to reinvent history and bring this historic car back to life by conserving it, using all of the original materials and all the original parts.

    “This is one of the most important racing artifacts in the world. It was one car, one driver, for one race. And it went and dominated, leading 190 of 200 laps. This is why we consider it the world’s greatest Indy racing car and a treasure of The Henry Ford. We can use it to tell future generations how to innovate using this as a model.”

    Part of the innovative nature of the car was the tires that Firestone provided for the race. They were specially-built for the car, and went the entire 500 miles without having to be changed. In order to make the car’s conservation authentic and complete, Firestone Racing worked with Coker Tire to produce the replica tires from that era.

    “We uncovered some of the original drawings of the 1965 Firestone ‘Indy’ tire and Corky Coker’s group based the remanufactured tire molds from them,” said Al Speyer, Executive Director, Firestone Racing. “They did an amazing job in producing the replica tires that look so much like the originals. To be able to outfit this history-making race car with the Firestone tires on this historic centennial anniversary weekend here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is something very special for us.”

  • Bryan Clauson Wins Firestone Freedom 100 Pole as Qualifying is Rained Out

    2010 USAC National Drivers Championship title holder Bryan Clauson may be making his first ever Firestone Indy Lights start, but the pressure will be on as he will start pole.

    Clauson won the Sonoco Pole Award and its $5,000 prize for tomorrow’s Firestone Freedom 100 as a result of qualifying being rained out and the starting grid being set by points. The 21-year old from Noblesville, Indiana won the pole as the No. 77 Mazda Road to Indy car sat first in points, thanks to Conor Daly, who drove the first three events of the year.

    “We didn’t get to qualify and get the pole but that’s part of being a part of a great team and having great teammates like Conor Daly to put us up front,” Clauson said. “Starting from the front kind of heightens your expectations a little bit. Now you don’t have to work traffic. I’ve got a couple teammates in the lead pack. We watched a lot of race tape with Wade (Cunningham) and saw how teammates can make things happen. Obviously, I want to win but the big key is being there at the end. The first few laps are going to be key.”

    Clauson has only been able to turn eight laps on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway due to the rain-shortened practice this weekend, though did test on May 13th to prepare for the event.

    “We felt a lot better after practice today than we did after our test earlier,” Clauson said. “We worked really hard on the test day and never quite got it right. The guys brought back a great race car for us. We didn’t get to qualify and get the pole, but that’s part of being a part of a great team and having great teammates like Conor Daly to put us up front. Starting from the front kind of heightens your expectations a little bit. Now you don’t have to work traffic. I’ve got a couple teammates in the lead pack. We watched a lot of race tape with Wade (Cunningham) and saw how teammates can make things happen. Obviously, I want to win, but the big key is being there at the end. The first few laps are going to be key.”

    While competiting in the Firestone Freedom 100 during the afternoon, Clauson will also be running the Hoosier Hundred that night.

    “It’s exciting,” he said. “They are both prestigious races in the state of Indiana. I look at the Hoosier Hundred as the second most prestigious race in Indiana after the Indy 500. It’s a race that has a lot of history, and a lot of dirt track heroes ran that race and were winners there. Doing both the Freedom 100 and the Hoosier Hundred in the same night is going to be cool. I think it’s great that the Speedway and the Fairgrounds have built a ‘BC’s Bandwagon’ ticket package around it. It’s an added bonus for an already-special day in my career.”

    His Sam Schmidt Motorsports teammate Josef Newgarden will line up on the front row beside him as this continues a successful couple of weeks at Indianapolis for Sam Schmidst as he won the pole for the Indianapolis 500 last weekend with driver Alex Tagliani.

    “I think we’re going to be in a strong position tomorrow, but we really wanted to qualify,” Newgarden said. “I think everyone wanted a shot at the pole and we didn’t get that opportunity. We proved in testing that we had a strong car. Sam Schmidt Motorsports is a good Indy Lights team and they have a lot of history in the series and a lot of experience and knowledge to draw from. The (IZOD) IndyCar Series side did a phenomenal job last weekend, and I’m confident that we can handle the job on our end.”

    Sam Schmidt Motorsports’ success reins no surprise as they’ve enlisted driver coaching help from former Indy Lights champion Alex Lloyd and Wade Cunningham to serve as driver coaches to help their young drivers.

    “Now that I’m racing ovals (for Dale Coyne), I can’t spend as much time with him as I’d like, but today is a good day since we have no track activity (for IZOD IndyCar Series.)” Loyd said. “I’m here to give them tips and tricks of the trade of racing at Indianapolis, how the race goes down, how to deal with traffic, things like that. The guys all know how to drive a race car. You don’t have to teach them how to drive. It’s more about remembering the experiences you had and trying to relate it to the nuances they are experiencing on the track.”

     Andretti Autorsport’s Stefan Wilson and Team Moore Racing’s Victor Garcia will start third and fourth. Sam Schmidt Motorsports’ Esteban Guerrieri and O2 Racing Technology’s Peter Demsey wil make up the third row.

    The race is set to be 40-laps in length tomorrow and will be shown on VERSUS at 12:30pm EST. It can also be listened to through the IMS Radio Network broadcast on indycar.com, Sirius 212 and XM 94.

    Going into the event, teams only got 10 minutes of practice before the rains fell. Wilson led the brief practice sesson, turning a lap at more than 189mph.

    “Kind of mixed feelings about how today went,” Wilson said. “Happy to be starting P3, but we were pretty quick on the test day, and I felt we had a decent chance to start on the front row and a shot at battling for the pole. But at the same time, I am happy to be starting at the sharp end of the grid.”

    Wilson was followed in practice by Duarte Ferreira, Newgarden, Clauson and James Winslow.

     Before the event begins tomorrow, teams will be given a 30-minute practice at 9 a.m.

  • Jason White Ready To Race The #21 A & W Dodge

    May 26, 2011. (Toronto, ON) Sun Peaks, British Columbia racer Jason White has made several trips east in the past few weeks preparing for the 2011 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series season. Following several very successful testing sessions White and the #21 A & W Dodge Challenger team are ready to hit the track next weekend for the opening event at Mosport Speedway.

    The off season was one of change for Jason White who moved from team owner and driver to the sole position of driver. “I can see how this change has helped out already” explained White. “I have a lot more time now to focus on being the best driver I can and spend more time working on the marketing and promotion aspects of our partnership with A & W and it’s paying off” he added.

    This season Jason White will pilot the #21 A & W Dodge Challenger under the guidance of Crew Chief Derek Lynch with the horsepower coming from the DJK Racing shop. “From the first time we hit the track during the Mopar Day test session I could feel the difference in horsepower from last year” said White. “We only got a few laps in that first day but I was very happy” said the driver.

    White’s enthusiasm for the 2011 season grew significantly during his next test sessions, first at the Mosport road course and most recently on the Mosport Speedway. “Just feeling the power of that engine pull down the long straightaway was fantastic” said White. “And on the oval our times improved 7/10ths of a second from the start of the day. I can’t wait for the season to get going” said Jason enthusiastically.

    The #21 A & W Dodge Challenger team also benefits from the great experience of Derek Lynch taking over as Crew Chief. “Derek is a successful racer himself, he’s experienced in management with the Kawartha Group who are partners with us this year and we’ve been able to really get to know each other and communicate what we’re both looking for over these test sessions” stated White.

    Race fans will have even more opportunity to follow Jason White and the #21 A & W Dodge Challenger team this season. Just launched is the all new team website at http://www.jasonwhiteracing.com www.jasonwhiteracing.com and be sure to follow Jason on twitter for the latest updates @racinjasonwhite The 2011 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series will consist of twelve events from coast to coast in Canada. Al races will be broadcast once again this season on TSN. Fans should check local listings for times in their area.

    Attached Photo: Jason White with the A & W Dodge Challenger at Mosport Speedway.

    Photo Credit: Sue Chisolm www.racetimeradio.com

    A&W Food Services of Canada Inc., is Canada’s original hamburger quick service restaurant chain, and today is one of its fastest growing. The first A&W drive-in restaurant in Canada opened on Portage Avenue in Winnipeg in 1956. The combination of great tasting burgers, onion rings and frosted mugs of famous A&W Root Beer served by friendly carhops was an instant hit. Since then, A&W has continued to grow and evolve with the times, expanding into over 700 locations from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland. At the heart of that growth is the fact that, while so much of our world has changed, the simple things that made A&W so popular in its early days are the same today. We still serve A&W Root Beer in frosted mugs. Our onion rings are made fresh from whole onions every day. With a rich history behind us, we look forward to an even more exciting future ahead of us. A&W is expanding all across Canada, with particular emphasis on Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic.

  • Jeremy Frankoski Readies Night Before The 500

    HUNTERSVILLE, North Carolina (May 25, 2011) – – Jeremy Frankoski may not be participating in this year’s Indianapolis 500, but the avid IZOD IndyCar Series fan will partake in the historic Night Before the 500, a USAC Mopar Midget race at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis this Saturday night.

    Recently, the NorthEastern Midget Association (NEMA) competitor tested at the legendary short track with Santos Motorsports to prepare him for what is considered one of American’s most traditional Motorsports events. Teaming up with Adam Cantor Racing (ACR) in his No. 7NY IGA / Lucas Oil Mopar, the duo is hopeful for a big payout not to mention a huge night of celebration in what would be the team’s biggest career win.

    “I’m definitely looking forward to Saturday night,” said Frankoski, a former USAC Ford Focus Carolina champion. “I cannot thank Santos Motorsports and Bobby Santos III enough for allowing me to come up with them to Lucas Oil Raceway a couple weeks ago and test with them. Hopefully, the extra seat time will give us the preparation needed going into the weekend.”

    Having the opportunity to compete in such a prestigious race means a lot to Frankoski, a resident of Huntersville, North Carolina but the stock-car bound driver made it abundantly clear that he would not be where he is today without the help and support of many.

    “I’m fortunate,” Frankoski mentioned. “Adam Cantor Racing, IGA, Lucas Oil, K&N Filters and all of our other marketing partners continue to have faith in my driving ability and they’re giving me an opportunity that I need to try and make the best of. I can’t predict what’s going to happen on Saturday night, but all I need to do is go out there and give it my all and hope we’ll be the ones celebrating in victory lane.”

    To get to victory lane though, Frankoski will have to race his way into the feature which is expected to be tough but he says he will be mentally and physically prepared for one of his biggest challenges of the 2011 racing season.

    “It’s a big race, so there’s going to be a ton of cars there,” he added. “I have a good team with great equipment. We just have to get our car handling right and then have it go our way in the heat.”

    As far Sunday’s 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500, Frankoski plans to be glued to “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” and cheer on his two favorite IICS drivers John Andretti and Dario Franchitti.

    “John (Andretti) has helped guide me with some areas of my career, so I’m pulling for him. He is a great guy and I continue to be thankful and appreciative for the impact he has in my racing career. Dario’s just a driver that you cannot help but like. He always has a great attitude and is a great role model for all drivers.”

    In addition to IGA, Lucas Oil and K&N Filters, Frankoski will receive additional support this weekend from MCT, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, Calico Coatings, Drive-In Web Design, Simpson Racing and Racing 2 Cure.

    USAC Racing will stream the Night Before the 500 which includes practice, qualifying, heat races and the main event. To view the contest, please click to usaracing.com/usac­_live.

    In two consecutive years with NEMA, Frankoski has tallied 27 starts, one win, nine top-fives and 18 top-10 finishes.

    For more information on Jeremy Frankoski please visit JeremyFrankoski.com.

    For additional input on NEMA, please click over to NEMAracing.com.

    To learn more about Racing 2 Cure, please logon to Racing2Cure.org.

  • Sean Corr; Empire Racing Pleased With Michigan ARCA Test

    BROOKLYN, Michigan (May 25, 2011) – – Despite only four hours of practice Wednesday at Michigan International Speedway (MIS) before Mother Nature invaded the “Irish Hills”, ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards championship contender Sean Corr and his Empire Racing team were pleased with their efforts

    Fresh off their fifth consecutive top-20 finish at New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP) this past Sunday, Corr and his team led by team manager John Bellesfield and crew chief Howard Bixman steered towards the Great Lakes state ready to tackle the two-mile oval

    With weather threatening, teams took to the track shortly after 9:00 a.m. with Corr in his No. 82 Roush Yates Performance / Roush Yates Engines / Empire Racing Ford Fusion following suit. At the beginning of their practice runs, Corr complained that his blue oval was tight but adjustments made by Bixman paid off with Corr’s lap times improving.

    Just before 1:00 p.m., Corr had muscled his No. 82 Roush Yates Performance / Roush Yates Engines / Empire Racing Ford Fusion into the top-10 before the skies opened up and drenched MIS. ARCA officials concluded the test shortly thereafter leaving the freshman full-time ARCA team 10th overall on the speed charts with a lap of 39.358 seconds at 182.936 miles per hour.

    “Our No. 82 Roush Yates Performance / Roush Yates Engines / Empire Racing Ford Fusion became faster with every run,” said Corr, who currently locks ninth in the ARCA championship standings. “Howard, John and the Empire team all did a good job despite the time restraints to make our car a lot better in a short amount of time. We definitely have some notes that we can build on when we return here in a couple weeks.”

    Corr also described the continued confidence in Bixman, a native of Michigan who is calling the shots for the No. 82 Roush Yates Performance / Roush Yates Engines / Empire Racing Ford Fusion.

    “Howard and I are really working well together,” Corr sounded. “He is fitting in nicely with the rest of the team and our communication continues to improve with every test and race we get under our belts. His coaching has also been a big help. Michigan is important race for us with it being in the backyard of Ford Motor Company but also being an event where we feel we really can show what our team is made of. We’ll get the car back to the shop, make a few adjustments and (hopefully) come back even faster.”

    Corr’s No. 82 Roush Yates Performance / Roush Yates Engines / Empire Racing Ford Fusion was the fastest Ford during the test ahead of Chris Buescher of Roulo Bros. Racing (14th) and Tommy O’Leary IV (17th).

    When the Goshen, New York native takes the green flag in The RainEater Wiper Blades 200 on Friday, June 17, he will make just his second start at MIS hoping to improve on his 18th place finish from last year.

    “Michigan is a wide, fast track,” Corr explained. “Not only do you have to have a good handling race car, you need power under the hood and that’s not a problem for us thanks to Roush Yates Engines. We’re just looking forward to coming back and hopefully being that first car to take that checkered flag.”

    Next up for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards is the first stop of the year at a 1.5-mile facility. The Messina Animal Wildlife Stopper 150 from Chicagoland Speedway is set for Saturday June 4th set to launch at 5:00 p.m. live on SPEED. Corr will make his 16th career ARCA start and second at Chicagoland Speedway.

    Recently, Empire Racing and BoomText officially announced the “Hard Corr Fans” program powered by BoomText, a mobile marketing campaign which allows fans to pledge towards becoming an official member of the Empire Racing team – not to mention helping three of Corr’s personal charities. To join the campaign, fans just simply have to text the word “CORR” to 411247 where they will receive an automated safe-secured link to join the “Hard Corr Fans” team.

    For more on Sean Corr, Empire Racing and marketing partnership opportunities for the 2011 racing season, please visit empireracingllc.com.

    Are you FORD tough? Connect with Roush Yates Performance Products and Roush Yates Engines through their official web site at roushyatesparts.com.

    Connect with Sean Corr and Empire Racing through Facebook by clicking here.

    Tweet with Sean Corr through Twitter @EmpireRacingLLC.

    For additional input on BoomText, please visit BoomText.com.

    About Empire Racing:

    Established in 2009, Empire Racing LLC. (empireracingllc.com) is a two-tier professional Motorsports organization consisting of dirt and asphalt competition. Sean Corr, a 26-year old hailing from Goshen, New York pilots the team’s automobiles in the DIRTcar Series and Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). In 2011, the team will attempt to run for a championship in the ARCA Racing Series with aspirations of moving into the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The team is headquartered in Goshen, New York with an additional operation in Mooresville, North Carolina.

  • D.J. Kennington Ready For 2011 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Season

    D.J. Kennington Ready For 2011 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Season

    After winning the championship last year, Kennington is ready for what the new season has to offer.

    “Last year was a good one for us, no doubt,” he said as according to NASCAR.com. “Just about everything we did turned out well and all of the equipment performed great. Will it be that way in 2011? I don’t know, but we’re sure going to try.”

    Last year, the St. Thomas, Ontario native won five races and five poles on the way to his first championship.

    “It’s as wide open as it has ever been,” Kennington said. “This series is full of veterans who all know how to win.”

    “We did the same things last year that we had always done,” Kennington continued. “Everything went our way, so we’ll just keep on doing what we do and hope it turns out for the best.”

    The 2011 season starts off this weekend at Mosport Speedway, near Bowmanville, Ontario. Kennington is looking to start off as well as he did last year as he won the first race out of the gate at Delaware Speedway.

    “Last year, we got that win at Delaware (Speedway) right out of the gate,” he said. “Everybody on the team was feeling good and we immediately put pressure on all the other teams and forced them to play catch up.”

    In the past four starts at Mosport, Kennington has two top-fives and four top-10s.

    “It’s probably good that they moved that date since we’ve struggled with the weather the last few years there,” said Kennington. “Mosport is a tricky track, though. It’s fairly flat and both ends are different. It’s almost impossible to get the car to handle well at both ends, so it’s a give and take deal to be competitive there.”

    For the 2011 season, he will once again have support from Castro Canada again.

    “The consistency we’ve had with Castrol Canada over the years is amazing,” Kennington said. “They’re phenomenal. I don’t know where I’d be without them. It’s an honor being associated with them for the past 17 seasons.”

    The only difference will be the new Dodge Challenger nose that will be in place for 2011.

    “I like the new look of the Dodge Challenger this year,” he said. “I think the fans will like it, too. It looks like the ones seen on the street and not some hybrid race car body type. I am anxious to see how it handles on the road courses where we carry more straight-line speed than on the ovals.”