Category: Other Series Racing

Other series racing

  • Mixed Results For Teammates Martin Roy and Isabelle Tremblay at Circuit ICAR

    Mixed Results For Teammates Martin Roy and Isabelle Tremblay at Circuit ICAR

    [media-credit name=”Todd Lewis” align=”alignright” width=”314″][/media-credit]When it came down to the end of the second event this year for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, Martin Roy had a breakthrough performance while teammate Isabelle Tremblay ran into mechanical difficulties.

    Roy drove his No. 90 Veloce/Gamache Truck Centre Dodge to his first ever series top 10 finish after starting 21st.

    “I’m very happy with the result today,” Roy says.  “The whole team is happy and now we are going to an oval track next and I’m more at home on the ovals so we’re hoping for more good results.”

    He made his way steadily up through the field early in the race. He would get up to as high as sixth, though dropped back to 10th after his car substained significant damage to the left rear during the green-white-checkered finish.

    He was looking for a successful day after finishing 18th in the last race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP).

    Meanwhile, Tremblay drove her No. 07 Frank Lyman Design Dodge to a 25th place finish after mechanical difficulties. She finished 21st the week before at CTMP.

    “Unfortunately that is how it goes sometimes in racing,” she says.  “You have a mechanical failure and there is nothing you can do about it”

    She started the race in 11th after qualifying was rained out and ran strong early in the race amongst the front half of the field.

    “I enjoyed running with some of the best racers in this series very much,” she comments.

    Early in the race, she was suffer some damage after contact from another racer, putting her at the back of the field. She’d work her way back up to 12th before her car began to slow and forced her to make a pit stop at the halfway point. Her crew determined that she had broken a left axle.

    There was some positive from the event for Tremblay, however, as she raised $12,000 for the CHU of St. Justine Children’s Hospital in Montreal with support from Promath and Arcopel.

    “It’s nice to make a difference and seeing how much support we can generate,” she says.

    Tremblay is hoping to have better runs as the season goes on as with how good her car has run, she feels it’ll be a good year.

    “We’ve grown a great deal and I can see the improvement we’ve made in a short time and so can others,” she says.  “I am also very pleased to announce that Frank Lyman Design has increased their support of our program and we will be competing in a fifth race this season.”

     

  • Brennan Poole Wins at Elko Speedway for Second ARCA Win

    Brennan Poole Wins at Elko Speedway for Second ARCA Win

    [media-credit name=”ARCA Racing Network” align=”alignright” width=”180″][/media-credit]Concord, NC (June 4, 2012) — Venturini Motorsports driver Brennan Poole earned his second career victory in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards in Saturday’s Akona 200 presented by Federated Car Care at Minnesota’s Elko Speedway.

    Poole who qualified his No. 25 Venturini Chevrolet fifth moved his way to the front of the field early and never looked back.

    “The car was really good,” said Poole, whose last win came in his series debut last spring at Salem Speedway in Indiana. “I can’t thank Venturini Motorsports enough. It’s pretty awesome to win the inaugural race at Elko. I had a lot of fun here tonight. The track’s a blast. Of course, it’s always fun when you’ve got such a good race car. I was slipping and sliding and trying to get everything out of it coming into the corner, dodging traffic. It was crazy.”

    “We’ve never been to a place like this. I’m proud of my guys and all the work they did.”

    The race was the first for ARCA at Elko Speedway, just south of Minneapolis and St. Paul. ARCA’s top division had never before appeared in Minnesota.

    Poole who was dialed in all day showed his dominance early in the race pulling away from the field and extending his lead up to three seconds over the second place car and almost 3/4 of a track over the third place car.

    Poole, who recaptured top spot in the ARCA Racing Series point standings with his victory, led 148 of 200 laps in Saturday’s event.

    “The car was really good out front and it worked really well in traffic,” said the 21-year-old from The Woodlands, Texas. “We were just a little bit tight, so we had to save the right front once we got into the lead. I kind of used up what I had to get into the lead so once I got there, I just tried to let it ride and protect that right front. That first run, I was good up front, but I used up my right front tire and started to get tight late in the run.

    “I thought our pit strategy was great. (Crew chief) Billy (Venturini) made a great call on that. We came down and got four tires a little later than some of the other guys and our car was good enough to march to the front of the field.”

    The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards will visit Pocono Raceway for the first of two events this season next Saturday, June 9. SPEED will air the race at 2:30 p.m. on a same-day delay, one of 10 broadcasts for the series on the network this season. ARCARacing.com will feature live timing and scoring of all on-track events Friday and Saturday.

    Official: www.BrennanPoole.com  |  Twitter @brennanpoole  |  Facebook: Brennan Poole

    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 teams 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

  • Justin Allgaier Prelude to the Dream Quick Facts

    Justin Allgaier Prelude to the Dream Quick Facts

    [media-credit name=”preludetothedream.org” align=”alignright” width=”400″][/media-credit]JUSTIN ALLGAIER QUICK FACTS

    No. 31 BRANDT Chevrolet

    Eldora Speedway

    Prelude to the Dream

    June 6, 2012

    No. 31 BRANDT Chevrolet News and Notes

    Allgaier Prelude Stats – Justin Allgaier will make his third start in the eighth annual Prelude to the Dream at Eldora Speedway. In his previous two starts, Allgaier scored a 26th-place finish (2010) and a fifth-place effort in last year’s event.

    The Ride – Allgaier and Turner Motorsports NASCAR Nationwide Series partner, BRANDT has come on board to sponsor the No. 31 at Eldora again in 2012. Allgaier’s car is owned by Raymond Childress Racing and this is the second year he has driven for the owner.

    Happy Birthday, Mr. Allgaier -On Wednesday, June 6, Allgaier will celebrate his 26th birthday. This is not the first birthday Allgaier has spent at Eldora Speedway. Ten years ago, on his 16th birthday, Allgaier spent the Dream weekend at the half-mile dirt track in Ohio.

    Race of Champions – This year’s Prelude field contains the winners of over 60 racing titles. Allgaier earned a spot on this list, having won the 2008 ARCA Series Championship.

    The Event – The eighth annual Feed the Children Prelude to the Dream will be again televised live on HBO Pay Per View at 8:00 p.m. EDT. Net proceeds from the telecast will support Feed the Children, a U.S.-based charity that has helped more than 365,000 families through its Americans Feeding Americans Caravan. Additionally, Feed the Children will send a food truck to each driver’s hometown (or city of their choice) that finishes the main event in the top-10.

    Allgaier on the chance to drive in the Prelude:

    “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to race in the Prelude to the Dream for the third time. It is an awesome event for us as drivers as well as the fans. Tony [Stewart] does such a great job with all aspects of putting this race on. It’s great to see Feed the Children come on board as well. The things they do to help provide families and children with the food they need is just incredible. Thanks also to BRANDT for stepping up again and supporting me in this great event.”

    Follow the No. 31 team on Twitter! @No31TurnerNNS

    Follow BRANDT on Twitter! @BRANDTRacing

    Follow Turner Motorsports on Facebook!Facebook.com/TurnerMotorsports

  • FRANK KIMMEL ELKO RECAP

    FRANK KIMMEL ELKO RECAP

    No. 44 Ansell/ Menards Toyota Camry

    ARCA RACING SERIES – RACE 6 OF 19 – Elko Speedway

    [media-credit name=”ARCA Racing Network” align=”alignright” width=”180″][/media-credit]Elko, Minn. (June 3, 2012) – Frank Kimmel and the No. 44 Ansell/Menards Toyota Camry team, fielded by ThorSport Racing, came to the inaugural race at Elko Speedway with a healthy dose of short track momentum. With two second-place finishes under their belts in as many races (Salem and Toledo), they charged forward to the 3/8th-mile short track in a small corner of Minnesota. After fighting tight middle, loose off conditions most of the day and qualifying 15th, Kimmel showed his short track roots and even led the field – eventually crossing the checkers in fourth position.

    Kimmel started on the grid in the 15th position and quickly navigated through the young field, settling in to 11th by lap four and remaining until the first pit stop of the night at lap 67. The team opted to take four tires while others took two; fuel and air pressure adjustments. The gamble paid off, as the fresh set and a fast pit stop showed Kimmel to the ninth spot on the restart, then all the way to the lead by the race’s second caution on lap 91.

     

    Dominating the lead until lap 139 when his tires started to fall off, Kimmel and new race leader Brennan Poole were able to pull away from the field. Unfortunately on the small track, lapped traffic presented a challenge as the laps clicked by – with cautions flying, tempers flaring and lots of on-track blocking. Kimmel showed the strength of a veteran as he held position as long as possible, but as he and fellow competitor Chris Buescher behind him found out – tires falling off, an accordioned field and track position were all winning factors. He went on to finish in an impressive fourth position – continuing the ThorSport Racing “top five streak” in the last three races.

     

    “We learned a lot today, and even Jeriod (Prince) said over the radio that it was all about the tires today,” said Kimmel. “I’m just glad to have a great showing in front of so many of our sponsors, guests and ARCA fans today. It has been a Series team effort to promote this race, and the fans definitely came out – and we gave them a great race. The top five gives us a lot of momentum going into Pocono and Michigan, and the boys are used to week-to-week racing. Now it’s time to rock and roll.”

     

    The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards will visit Pocono Raceway for the first of two events this season next Saturday, June 9. SPEED will air the race at 2:30 p.m. on a same-day delay, one of 10 broadcasts for the series on the network this season. ARCARacing.com will feature live timing and scoring of all on-track events Friday and Saturday.

     

    2012 is the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards’ 60th Anniversary Season, featuring 20 races at 18 tracks. The complete 2012 event schedule is available at ARCARacing.com.

    Race Info:

    June 2nd, 2012

    Elko Speedway

    3/8th-Mile Paved Oval

    Akona 200 Presented by Federated Car Care

    200 Laps/75 Miles

    Results:

    Start: 15th

    Finish: 4th

    Team Facts:

    Current Driver Point Standings: 4th

    Chassis: A-6 – first appearance

    Engine: TRD (Toyota Racing Development) & TRIAD

    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.comwww.safetypro.com,www.activarmr.com and www.ansellconstruction.com.
  • Andrew Ranger Survives Green-White-Checkered to win at Circuit ICAR

    Andrew Ranger Survives Green-White-Checkered to win at Circuit ICAR

    [media-credit name=”Matthew Manor/NASCAR” align=”alignright” width=”350″][/media-credit]Two-time series champion Andrew Ranger held off J.R. Fitzpatrick and Scott Steckly in a green-white-checkered finish to win the ICAR Lucas Oil Grand Prix presented by Budweiser Sunday at Circuit ICAR. It marked his first win of the season and 17th Canadian Tire Series win overall. It marks his 12th road course win.

    “Really proud to win here at Mirabel,” Ranger says. “It’s been an awesome weekend.”

    Ranger took the lead from D.J. Kennington on lap seven and led the rest of the way in his home province of Quebec.

    “I really surprised to be at the front on the sixth lap at the beginning,” Ranger adds. “The car was really, really good, really fast. I was able to go everywhere on the track.”

    A caution would come out on lap 27 to set-up a green-white-checkered finish, which resulted in a side-by-side battle between Ranger and Fitzpatrick.

    “On the final lap, when Fitzpatrick was trying to pass me, he had a really good car,” Ranger says. “I knew I was a little bit better than him on the long run. He tried hard, he pushed me a little bit in the hairpin, but this is racing. I was able to keep my car inside and pass him after.”

    This year, Ranger made the choice to come back to the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series full-time after spending some years in the states. The last time he ran the series full-time was in 2009 when he won his second championship.

    “What we wanna do is win another championship,” Ranger says. “It’s fun to win definately, but we need to think about the championship. We don’t want to have mistakes. We’re here to finish in the top five every weekend and this is our goal. I think we have the team and the car to do it.”

    Fitzpatrick, who won last week at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, finished second, 0.507 seconds behind Ranger. Defending series champion Scott Steckly came back to finish third after a early penalty for rough driving. Louis-Philipee Dumoulin and Kennington rounded out the top five.

    Alex Labbe finished sixth in his series debut, followed by Jean-Francois Dumoulin, Jeff Lapcevich, Ron Beauchamp Jr. and rookie Martin Roy.

    The race was slowed due to caution four times for 10 laps.

    The first caution came out on lap three for Isabelle Tremblay being stopped in turn 10. She would fail to finish the race due to a broken rear end.

    The second caution came out on lap nine for Dexter Stacy being stopped in turn six. He would also fail to finish the race.

    The third caution came out on lap 24 for Kerry Micks making contact with the wall in turn two. He would get the lucky dog under the final caution and finish 21st.

    The final caution came out on lap 27 for Mike Scholz being stopped in turn two.

    Fitzpatrick remains the points leader, now one point over Ranger. Kennington and Steckly both sit seven points back heading to the first oval race of 2012 on June 16 at the Speedway at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

     

    NCATS 6/3/12 ICAR Unofficial Results

    Fin Str Car Driver Team Laps Points B/Points Status
    1 16 27 Andrew Ranger Dodge/GC Motorsports Dodge 31 48 5 Running
    2 3 84 JR Fitzpatrick Equipment Express Chevrolet 31 42 Running
    3 1 22 Scott Steckly Canadian Tire Dodge 31 41 Running
    4 12 47 Louis-Philippe Dumoulin WeatherTech Canada/Bellemare Dodge 31 40 Running
    5 2 17 DJ Kennington Castrol Edge/Mahindra Tractors Dodge 31 40 1 Running
    6 25 36 Alex Labbe * VR Victoriaville Dodge 31 38 Running
    7 26 4 J.F. Dumoulin ACASS/Bellemare/Marac Dodge 31 37 Running
    8 9 23 Jeff Lapcevich Tim Hortons Dodge 31 36 Running
    9 5 60 Ron Beauchamp, Jr. Mopar/Mobil 1 Dodge 31 35 Running
    10 21 90 Martin Roy * Veloce/Gamache Truck Center Dodge 31 34 Running
    11 13 99 Steve Cote * White Motorsports Chevrolet 31 33 Running
    12 20 81 Larry Jackson * B&B Decals/Speedy Auto Service Dodge 31 32 Running
    13 6 21 Jason White A&W/Bower&Wilkins Dodge 31 31 Running
    14 19 94 Dave Coursol * Carquest Canada Dodge 31 30 Running
    15 24 29 Ray Courtemanche Jr. * Construction Danam Bonzai Dodge 31 29 Running
    16 17 56 Howie Scannell Jr. Trailers by Jim Bray Dodge 31 28 Running
    17 14 97 Hugo Vannini VTI Motorsports Ford 31 27 Running
    18 10 5 Noel Dowler EMCO-Kohler/Rheem Dodge 31 26 Running
    19 29 85 Michel Pilon Aquacoupe Technologie Chevrolet 31 25 Running
    20 22 44 Jarrad Whissell SMS Equipment/Komatsu Ford 31 24 Running
    21 4 2 Kerry Micks Leland/BDI/PartSource Ford 30 23 Running
    22 23 11 Mike Scholz * Jiffy Car Wash/Watchfinder.ca Chevrolet 29 22 Off Track
    23 7 3 Jason Hathaway Snap-on Tools/Vortex Brake Pads Dodge 24 21 Running
    24 18 10 Derek White Burger Barn Chevrolet 23 20 Off Track
    25 11 7 Isabelle Tremblay Frank Lyman Design Dodge 15 19 Rear End
    26 15 66 Robin Buck Quaker State Dodge 6 18 Off Track
    27 8 55 Dexter Stacey WJS Motorsports Dodge 5 17 Off Track
    28 27 3 Elie Arseneau * Prime Racing/Circuit ICAR Chevrolet 4 16 Suspension
    29 28 82 Dave Connelly Schneider’s/Metro Dodge 1 15 Suspension
  • Race No. 2: Lucas Oil Grand Prix At Circuit ICAR

    Race No. 2: Lucas Oil Grand Prix At Circuit ICAR

    [media-credit name=”NASCAR Home Tracks” align=”alignright” width=”200″][/media-credit]Last year, Circuit ICAR hosted it’s first ever NASCAR Canadian Tire (NCAT) Series event and the event was a success with lots of Quebec fans coming out to watch. This year, the NCAT cars return as they are ready to put on another show on the 2.113 mile road course that is set-up on the grounds of Mirabel Airport.

    Robin Buck put on a show last year as he was the inaugural race winner, leading two laps to score his first ever NCAT victory. He then backed it up with a second win on the season at Circuit de Trois-Riveres in the rain. With rain in forecast for the weekend, Buck could pick up his third career win. Buck is one of the drivers that comes in as a road course expert, against the guys that are looking to run the full schedule.

    One of those drivers looking to run the full schedule and get his first ever NCAT championship is J.R. Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick won the first race of the season at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) for the seventh win of his career. It marked his sixth win on a road course and his third at CTMP.

    After his win at CTMP, Fitzpatrick said that he looked forward to carrying that momentum forward.

    “We’re just going to keep on rolling, keep on getting podiums,” he said. “They don’t always have to be wins.”

    He hopes a change in his attitude, for the positive, will be the difference this year. Other years, Fitzpatrick would quickly get frustrated with the situation and that would take him out of contention. However, this year, its all about a good attitude.

    “I had a really bad attitude the last couple of years,” the Cambridge, Ontario native said. “That got all fine tuned over the winter with (crew chief) Donny (Thomson Jr.) being back, I think. He’s not shy; he’s put me in my place real quick.”

    Another driver looking to win this weekend at Circuit ICAR is Quebec native Andrew Ranger. Last year, he started at the rear of the 27-car field after running an ARCA event the night before. He found his way to the lead on lap 28 of the 30-lap race, though made excessive contact with Alex Tagliani getting there and was given an aggressive driving penalty. He was credited with a 21st-place finish.

    “Let’s just say I hope this one turns out better,” Ranger says.

    Ranger is no stranger to NCAT competition as he is a two-time series champion and has won in 11 of his 20 road course starts.

    “I’m really happy to be back in the Canadian Tire Series,” Ranger says. “It’s a place where I’m very comfortable.”

    Ranger, Fitzpatrick and Buck will have to get past Steckly if they want to have a shot at a win. Last year’s champion is hunting for his first ever NCAT road course victory after finishing second last year at Circuit ICAR. He has three consecutive top-five finishes dating back to last season and has scored a top-10 finish in five of his last six series starts.

    Steckly will have to contend with his new teammate L.P. Dumoulin, who finished fourth last year for a career best finish. Last year’s rookie of the year looks for his first top three finish to add to his streak of four straight top 10s on road courses.

    Coming off a decent run at CTMP, Jeff Lapcevich is hoping to have a good shot at the win. He finished sixth last year at Circuit ICAR and has a streak going of five straight top 10s in NCAT action. Lapcevich grew up racing on road courses and feels he’s got a good shot.

    “I think we have as good a chance as anybody to win,” he comments.

    Last year, Jason Hathaway finished 15th, though it was the first race after breaking his arm at CTMP. Hathaway ran most of the season with the injury, not putting the season together that he wanted. However, in previous years, he’s been successful on the road courses. In 2010, he was able to score five top 10s in six road course starts.

    Following ICAR, the series switches gears as they will have their first oval race of 2012.

    “I know some guys are looking forward to that,” Hathaway says. “We’re ready to go. The car just got decalled the other day; it’s going to match the road course car, look the same. I know we got a lot of comments – looked sharp last weekend. Can’t wait to get started.”

    The race is scheduled to take the green flag on Sunday, June 3 at 1:30 p.m. ET. The race’s television premier is scheduled for Saturday, June 16 at 12:30 p.m. ET on TSN and Wednesday, June 27 at 10 p.m. ET on RDS2.

  • NCAT: Scott Steckly To Start Pole After Qualifying Rained Out at Circuit ICAR

    NCAT: Scott Steckly To Start Pole After Qualifying Rained Out at Circuit ICAR

    [media-credit name=”Matthew Manor” align=”alignright” width=”350″][/media-credit]After a persistant rain throughout the day, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series made the choice to cancel qualifying for Sunday’s ICAR Lucas Oil Grand Prix presented by Budweiser at Circuit ICAR. The decision was made as due to the wet, rainy conditions, there was a possibility for unequal track conditions throughout the season.

    As a result, the race lineup is set by last year’s points, as per the rule book, handing defending series champion Scott Steckly the pole. Steckly finished third last week while J.R. Fitzpatrick won with D.J. Kennington second. Kennington will start second alongside Steckly in second at Circuit ICAR while Fitzpatrick starts third. Kerry Micks and Ron Beauchamp Jr. round out the top five.

    A pair of practice sessions were held earlier in the day, with rookie Elie Arsenau posting the fastest lap in the rain at 60.168mph. He will start the race 27th.

    Louis-Philippe Dumoulin was second fastest at 59.957 mph followed by Micks at 59.657 mph. Andrew Ranger (59.588 mph) and Steckly (59.544 mph) completed the top five.

    Defending race champion Robin Buck suffered damage in practice after hitting the turn seven tire wall, is slated to start the race from 15th after finishing practice in sixth.

    The race is scheduled to take the green flag on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. ET.

     

    NCATS ICAR 6/3/12 Race Lineup

    POS CAR DRIVER TEAM
    ROW 1
    1 22 Scott Steckly, Milverton, Ont. Canadian Tire Dodge
    2 17 D.J. Kennington, St. Thomas, Ont. Castrol Edge/Mahindra Tractors Dodge
    ROW 2
    3 84 J.R. Fitzpatrick, Cambridge, Ont. Equipment Express Chevrolet
    4 02 Kerry Micks, Mt. Albert, Ont. Leland/BDI/PartSource Ford
    ROW 3
    5 60 Ron Beauchamp, Jr., Windsor, Ont. Mopar/Mobil 1 Dodge
    6 21 Jason White, Sun Peaks, B.C. A&W/Bower&Wilkins Dodge
    ROW 4
    7 3 Jason Hathaway, Dutton, Ont. Snap-on Tools/Vortex Brake Pads Dodge
    8 55 Dexter Stacey, Kahnawake, Que. WJS Motorsports Dodge
    ROW 5
    9 23 Jeff Lapcevich, Grimsby, Ont. Tim Hortons Dodge
    10 5 Noel Dowler, Sherwood Park, Alta. EMCO-Kohler/Rheem Dodge
    ROW 6
    11 07 Isabelle Tremblay, St. Hippolyte, Que. Frank Lyman Design Dodge
    12 47 Louis-Philippe Dumoulin, Trois-Rivieres, Que. WeatherTech Canada/Bellemare Dodge
    ROW 7
    13 99 Steve Cote, Ile Bizard, Que * White Motorsports Chevrolet
    14 97 Hugo Vannini, Repentigny, Que. VTI Motorsports Ford
    ROW 8
    15 66 Robin Buck, Campbellville, Ont. Quaker State Dodge
    16 27 Andrew Ranger, Roxton Pond, Que. Dodge/GC Motorsports Dodge
    ROW 9
    17 56 Howie Scannell Jr., Milton, Ont. Trailers by Jim Bray Dodge
    18 10 Derek White, Kahnawake, Que. Burger Barn Chevrolet
    ROW 10
    19 94 Dave Coursol, St. Jerome, Que. * Carquest Canada Dodge
    20 81 Larry Jackson, Oakville, Ont. * B&B Decals/Speedy Auto Service Dodge
    ROW 11
    21 90 Martin Roy, Napierville, Que * Veloce/Gamache Truck Center Dodge
    22 44 Jarrad Whissell, Calgary, Alta. SMS Equipment/Komatsu Ford
    ROW 12
    23 11 Mike Scholz, Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. * Jiffy Car Wash/Watchfinder.ca Chevrolet
    24 29 Ray Courtemanche Jr., Montreal, Que. * Construction Danam Bonzai Dodge
    ROW 13
    25 36 Alex Labbe, St. Albert, Que. * VR Victoriaville Dodge
    26 04 J.F. Dumoulin, Trois-Rivieres, Que. ACASS/Bellemare/Marac Dodge
    ROW 14
    27 03 Elie Arseneau, Laval, Que. * Prime Racing/Circuit ICAR Chevrolet
    28 82 Dave Connelly, Arnprior, Ont. Schneider’s/Metro Dodge
    ROW 15
    29 85 Michel Pilon, Blainville, Que. Aquacoupe Technologie Chevrolet

    * Rookie of the Year contender

  • Jason Hathaway: It’s a roller coaster season once the year starts

    Jason Hathaway: It’s a roller coaster season once the year starts

    [media-credit name=”Ashley McCubbin” align=”alignright” width=”266″][/media-credit]For NASCAR Canadian Tire (NCAT) Series driver Jason Hathaway, his roller coaster season began two weeks ago with the Vortex Brake Pads 200 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP). The driver of the No. 3 Snap on Tools/Rockstar Energy Drink/Vortex Brake Pads Dodge started the race in sixth and came home with a sixth place finish.

    “It was a great weekend last weekend, as far as fans, the racing goes and Canadian Tire,” Hathway says. “With Vortex being the title sponsor, it was good for us. we had a good finish. We qualified sixth and finish sixth so that was a good start for us as well.”

    During the off-season, the track went under new ownership and went through some changes. Hathaway says the improvements they made were great and can’t wait to see what else they got planned.

    “They’re also talking about another NASCAR series racing there so excited to see if that happens,” he adds.

    Hathaway is looking for a solid season after finishing ninth last year in points. Hathaway raced the majority of the year with a broken arm as he broke it in the first race of the season last year at CTMP. He says for this year, he is hoping to finish top three in points while winning a couple races.

    “I haven’t won since 2008 so I’m due for a win for sure,” he says.

    This weekend, the series heads to Circuit ICAR, which will mark the second race at the track in Quebec for the NCAT series. Last year, Hathaway finished 15th, though that was due to the arm injury. In 2010, he was able to score five top 10s in six road course starts.

    Following ICAR, the series switches gears as they will have their first oval race of 2012.

    I know some guys are looking forward to that,” Hathaway says. “We’re ready to go. The car just got decalled the other day; it’s going to match the road course car, look the same. I know we got a lot of comments – looked sharp last weekend. Can’t wait to get started.”

    Hathaway got started in racing as a kid racing go-karts.

    “I used to run around D.J’s track at his truck shop in St. Thomas when I was a kid,” he says. “So started there and worked our way up.”

    He started with Delaware’s Enduro class, before moving up to the Super Stock class where he won a division championship. He then moved up to Late Model and began traveling across the country to different tracks.

    “Got a lot of seat experience, met a lot of people, kind of got the media attention to get hired by Ed Hakinson Racing,” Hathaway says.

    [media-credit id=4 align=”alignleft” width=”266″][/media-credit]Hathaway got back to his Late Model roots last week as he competed in round one of the McColl Racing Enterprises Pro Series at Sunset Speedway. While he did score a qualifying race win, the race didn’t go well as Hathaway got wrecked on lap 42 by Jesse Kennedy.

    The driver from Appin, Ontario calls Jeff Gordon his racing hero due to Gordon’s success, among other things.

    “When he started, he started winning, drove a chev, had a cool paint scheme and had a cool mustache for a 22-year-old,” Hathaway comments.

    For getting through a roller coaster season, it’s all about taking it easy even when frustration sets in.

    “Don’t get too hard on yourself when something happens and takes the highs and the lows and average them throughout the year,” he says.

    Hathaway adds there’s a lot of traveling with the different tracks they go to so it’s all about figuring where you are.

    “Keep the team focused, keep myself focused and just have one goal and aim for it,” he says.

     

  • Steve Arpin re-unites with Venturini Motorsports for 3-races starting at Elko Speedway

    Steve Arpin re-unites with Venturini Motorsports for 3-races starting at Elko Speedway

    [media-credit name=”stevearpinracing.com” align=”alignright” width=”400″][/media-credit]Concord, NC (May 31, 2012) —NASCAR Nationwide Series driver, Steve Arpin will re-join Venturini Motorsports for three ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards events in 2012. Starting this weekend in the Akona 200 presented by Federated Car Care, Arpin will return to familiar territory as the ARCA series makes its first ever visit to Elko Speedway which is located outside Minneapolis, Minnesota.

    “I can’t think of a better place to make my return to the ARCA Series with Venturini than Elko Speedway. This is a special opportunity and moment for me. I’ve received so much support from sponsors and fans up here over the years so it will be awesome to see everyone and get back behind the wheel in the same area where I cut my teeth in racing,” stated Arpin.

    The Fort Frances, Ontario native spent much of his early days honing his craft racing dirt modified cars north of the border and in the Minnesota and Wisconsin areas. Located just 6-hours from his hometown, Arpin will have support from Montana based, Loenbro Pipeline Solutions and Rochester, MN based Speed Shop. Arpin is sure to have a huge contingency of fans supporting his return to the ARCA series.

    Arpin will make his 2012 ARCA debut driving the No.66 Loenbro Pipeline Solutions and Speed Shop Chevrolet for Venturini. In addition to Elko Speedway, Arpin will drive for Venturini Motorsports at the Illinois State Fairgrounds and the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds later this summer.

    Arpin, who drove full-time for Venturini during the 2010 ARCA season, will make his first series start since Daytona 2011. In 2010, he captured three victories at Salem Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and DuQuoin State Fairgrounds.

    “I can’t thank Billy Venturini and his organization for giving me this opportunity. We’ve had a lot of success together in the past and they’ve played a pivotal role in my career development. They’re clearly the dominant team in the series providing consistent equipment race after race. It’s a great family organization. I can’t wait to get back with all the guys and hopefully reignite our winning ways.”

    Arpin ended 2010 with seven top-five and ten top-10 finishes as the fans voted him the Most Popular Driver for the second consecutive year. That same year, Arpin made his NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) debut with JR Motorsports at Talladega Superspeedway, where he qualified fourth and finished 26th. He made six more NNS starts, with his best finish of 10th coming at Daytona International Speedway.

    In 2011, Arpin signed-on with Turner Motorsports where he drove his No.32 Mikes Hard Lemonade Silverado in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, earning his first ever NASCAR pole award at Chicagoland Speedway. In 2012, he’s made two starts for Turner Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, finishing 16th at Iowa Speedway and a career best, 10th place finish at Texas Motor Speedway.

    The ARCA Racing Series will hold two practices at Elko Speedway on Saturday, from 2-2:45 p.m. and 3:15-4. Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell will follow at 5, and every driver in the starting field will sign autographs for fans on the track from 6:30-7:30.

    The 200-lap, Akona 200 will begin at 8pm CST with live coverage from the ARCA Racing Network.

    Official: www.SteveArpin.com  |  Twitter @SteveArpin  |  Facebook: Steve Arpin

    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 teams 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

  • Friday is free at the Honda Indy Toronto in support of Make-A-Wish Canada

    Friday is free at the Honda Indy Toronto in support of Make-A-Wish Canada

    [media-credit name=”makeawish.ca” align=”alignright” width=”260″][/media-credit]TORONTO, ON (May 31, 2012) – For the third year in a row, the Ontario Honda Dealers Association (OHDA) will pay the cost of admission for fans to enjoy the speed and spectacle of the Honda Indy Toronto on Friday, July 6. With generous support from fans, Honda Canada and the OHDA have raised more than $200,000 for Make-A-Wish® during the previous two seasons, helping to make the wishes of children who are living with a life-threatening medical condition come true.

    “We’re excited to once again partner with Make-A-Wish for Free Friday at the Honda Indy Toronto,” said Kevin Pearson, president of the OHDA. “We hope fans enjoy the Indy experience and donate generously to help make wishes come true for children across Canada.”

    In lieu of admission, and to take part in various onsite games and activities, Free Friday attendees are encouraged to donate to Make-A-Wish. All donations will once again be matched dollar-for-dollar by Honda Canada. With support from organizations like Honda Canada and the OHDA, Make-A-Wish grants over 400 wishes a year through eight regional chapters across the country.

    “Honda has been a very generous supporter of our magical wish granting efforts the past two years,” said Jennifer Klotz-Ritter, CEO, Make-A-Wish Canada. “We are thrilled to be part of the Honda Indy Toronto again.”

    The Honda Indy Toronto, which runs July 6-8, marks the 10th race of the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series season and 26 years of racing on the streets of Toronto. On Free Friday, there is no regular reserved seating, so attendees can access all grandstands and choose their seats on a first-come/first-served basis. Throughout the day, attendees can explore the exclusive IZOD IndyCar Series Paddock where the new DW12 IndyCars will be on display while not on the track.

    “We love Free Friday because it supports an important cause and it provides the public with a great chance, and the extra incentive, to experience the excitement of IndyCar racing,” said Charlie Johnstone, vice president and general manager of the Honda Indy Toronto. “It’s hard not to become a fan after experiencing the thrill of racing and all that the Honda Indy has to offer.”

    About the Ontario Honda Dealers Association:The Ontario Honda Dealers Association, which was founded in 1989, represents 78 Honda dealers located in 62 communities throughout Ontario, which is home to the two Honda of Canada Mfg. assembly plants that produce Civic, Canada’s number one selling car, in addition to the Acura MDX, ZDX and CR-V. The 78 Honda dealerships in Ontario, which have a proven track record for providing maximum customer satisfaction, employ approximately 3,000 associates.About Make-A-Wish® Canada: Make-A-Wish Canada is a dynamic wish-granting organization that brings hope, strength and joy to children across Canada living with life-threatening medical conditions. Along with the national office, eight regional chapters grant magical wishes to children in need from coast-to-coast. Make-A-Wish Canada is an affiliate of Make-A-Wish® International, the largest wish-granting organization in the world, making dreams and wishes come true for more than 290,000 children since 1980. To learn more please visit www.makeawish.ca.

    About the Honda Indy Toronto: The Honda Indy Toronto takes place July 6-8, 2012 on the streets surrounding Exhibition Place near Lake Ontario and downtown Toronto. With 26 years of IndyCar racing history in Toronto, the Honda Indy Toronto is among the most respected motorsports events in North America and includes the fastest racing series on the planet, celebrity athletes, and a festival of live entertainment and interactive activities. For more information, visit hondaindytoronto.com. Follow the Honda Indy Toronto on Twitter @HondaIndy and ‘Like’ us on Facebook at facebook.com/HondaIndyToronto